Food supply is an important part of the security of supply operations that are being managed in cooperation between the public and private sector in all circumstances. Security of supply in the food sector means that the population has access to the same amount of nutritional energy as in normal conditions (2,800 kcal, i.e. 11.7 MJ per day). Securing the food supply is strongly founded on national agricultural production. 

According to the National Emergency Supply Agency, the retail sector works as normally at present. There have been no disturbances in logistics, manufacturing and processing industry, or deliveries. The rapid change in people’s purchasing behaviour may have caused temporary shortages at retail stores. The retail outlets are entitled to place restrictions on the volumes purchased to ensure a good customer experience. We are monitoring the situation very closely in cooperation with the food supply sector. Joint action is taken by the central government, trade and industry, primary production and logistics operators to secure reliable functioning of the markets. 

Even if the people are understandably worried, it is good to remember that there is no need to buy more food or hygiene products than usually. All you have to do is make sure that you have enough food and other essential supplies to last for three days. Guidance (in Finnish) on what this means can be found e.g. on the website of the Martha Organization.  

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Social Affairs and Health have given recommendations to water supply plants, municipal health protection authorities supervising these and Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment to secure water supply and sanitation during the coronavirus epidemic. 

According to current knowledge, it is not considered likely that the new coronavirus could spread via drinking water. The virus is also not considered to cause any particular risks to those working at wastewater treatment plants. 

The instructions do not mean any new obligations to water supply plants but their preparedness is based on the current legislation, mainly the Water Services Act and Health Protection Act. 

The Water Services Act obliges water supply plants to ensure access to water supply and sanitation services for properties in emergency situations as well. Water supply plants must draw up plans on their preparedness for disruptions and keep these up to date, and take the necessary measures on the basis of the plans. 

According to the Health Protection Act, health protection authorities must cooperate with other authorities and agencies and draw up a plan to prepare for disruptions affecting the environment where the people live. 

The functioning of water supply and sanitation must be secured to be able to maintain the basic functions of society also during the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Especially large population centres and operations that require a lot of clean water, such as those in healthcare centres, hospitals and food industry, are highly vulnerable to any disruptions in water supply and sanitation services. 

If the epidemic caused by the coronavirus expands, it is important that water supply plants and municipalities, together with the other water supply plants of the region, authorities and key customers using water services, make sure that their plans for disruptions and the instructions included in these are up to date. 

A situation that may threaten the functioning of water supply and sanitation is one where a large percentage of the staff falls ill at the same time. This is why water supply plants are urged to ensure sufficient resources for managing the critical water supply and sanitation tasks, making use of the plans for disruptions. 

Water supply plants are also urged to prepare for possible disruptions in the operations of service providers, including laboratories and suppliers of chemicals. 

Inquiries: 
Jarkko Rapala, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 2951 63315, firstname.lastname(at)stm.fi 
Katri Vasama, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources and Water Management Unit, tel. +358 50 595 5317, firstname.lastname(at)mmm.fi 

According to current knowledge, the virus is not transmitted via food, including fish. This means that the primary producers and processors of fish and operators in the supply chains can work as usually, as long as they take particular care of hygiene and of the preservation of fish. Consumers can also use fish and fish products as normally. A key issue for both operators in the fisheries sector and consumers is that the precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus are followed with care. It is important to maintain a functioning and viable value chain for fish so that we will have fish and fish products available also in future. Read more about the coronavirus and food on the website of the Finnish Food Authority (in Finnish). Read more about support for the fisheries sector available under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and State aid schemes on the website of the Maritime and Fisheries Network at merijakalatalous.fi/en/. 

The new coronavirus is transmitted directly from human to human. According to current knowledge, there is no evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus would spread or be transmitted to humans via food or via pets or farmed animals. E.g. in Belgium, France and Germany pets that have been in close contact with humans suffering from the coronavirus disease COVID-19, especially cats, have been reported as infected with the virus. In some cases the cats had shown no symptoms of the disease. Pets are considered to have no role in spreading the disease, but in all cases the virus had been transmitted from humans. Despite these quite rare and isolated cases considering the extent of the pandemic, pets can and must be cared for in the same way as usually, taking care of regular, good hand hygiene.

Besides pets, minks on four mink farms in the Netherlands have been found to carry the disease. In all these cases staff members caring for the animals had shown respiratory symptoms indicative of COVID-19.

Based on genetic analyses, it has been concluded that the coronavirus COVID-19 would originate from bats because its close relative has been found in Rhinolophus bat (horseshoe bat) populations. Studies on how the coronavirus was transmitted to humans are under way. The hypothesis is that the coronavirus would first have been transmitted from bats to an intermediate host where it had mutated into one that can be transmitted to humans.

Read more:
UN Food and Agriculture Organization FAO

We can and must still enjoy our natural environment. However, we may wish to avoid the most popular hiking destinations and give preference e.g. to a forest close to our home. On Metsähallitus website, you will find guidance for hikers relating to the coronavirus. Metsähallitus wishes to remind that the same rules apply in the natural environment as in urban areas and shopping centres:  two-metre safety distance and good hand hygiene is always required, including in campfire and rest sites.

See also Nationalparks.fi: Guidelines Concerning Coronavirus

See the website of the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution Mela:  https://www.mela.fi.