Friday. 29.03.2024

The Finnish Government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. The schools, theaters, public libraries and museums are closed. All the non-urgent appointments are postponed in the hospitals and gatherings of more than 10 people are banned.

All these measures are applied to protect people from coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish). However, the virus did not scare the shopping lovers in Helsinki.

On Thursday morning at ten o'clock, Hertsi shopping center opened its doors after a long wait in Helsinki and people run into the mall.

Normally a rush is a good thing for a mall but in the middle of coronavirus state of emergency, it should be considered a negative thing. The Government took serious measures to reduce people-to-people contacts but customers in Hertsi did not care about these precautions.

Sanna Vesikansa, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki Social and Health Services said to Helsingin Sanomat she has made a serious call to the Hertsi shopping center manager.

“I had a serious discussion with him about whether they were there. I personally think that everyone now needs to understand that everyone needs responsibility,” said Vesikansa.

People rush to new shopping mall opened in Helsinki amid state of emergency