Finland PM apologizes over Covid-related mishap
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has apologized for going out to a nightclub after coming into contact with Covid-infected person in her office, citing a misunderstanding of the rules as the cause of her mishap.
In a lengthy explanation posted on Facebook on Monday, Marin, 36, explained that she was aware of her foreign secretary Pekka Haavisto’s positive Covid-19 test but, being fully vaccinated, she enjoyed a Saturday night out with her husband and friends.
Marin said the next day she discovered a text message that had been sent to her work phone recommending she avoid social contact and order a test. Though her own test result was negative, the PM admitted that she could have made a better judgment on Saturday.
“I'm really sorry for not understanding I had to do this,” Marin wrote.
Fully-vaccinated people in Finland are not required to self-isolate after being exposed to a Covid-positive person, but they are advised to avoid social contact until they get a negative test result – something many said Marin should have done to set an example.
Marin’s statement followed backlash from opposition and social media users reacting to photos of her captured during the night out, taken hours after her minister’s diagnosis had been confirmed.
Many also remained unconvinced by her apologies, with one commenter wondering why “a person at that level needs guidance on something as simple as that” and adding that common sense has become “a disappearing natural resource.”
Marin said the next day she discovered a text message that had been sent to her work phone recommending she avoid social contact and order a test. Though her own test result was negative, the PM admitted that she could have made a better judgment on Saturday.
“I'm really sorry for not understanding I had to do this,” Marin wrote.
Fully-vaccinated people in Finland are not required to self-isolate after being exposed to a Covid-positive person, but they are advised to avoid social contact until they get a negative test result – something many said Marin should have done to set an example.
Marin’s statement followed backlash from opposition and social media users reacting to photos of her captured during the night out, taken hours after her minister’s diagnosis had been confirmed.
Many also remained unconvinced by her apologies, with one commenter wondering why “a person at that level needs guidance on something as simple as that” and adding that common sense has become “a disappearing natural resource.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
