The 36-year-old Prime Minister of Finland has apologised after going clubbing until 4am without her work phone, leaving her unaware she needed to isolate as she was a close contact to a COVID-19 case.
Sanna Marin admitted in a Facebook post this week she was told last Saturday night her Foreign Affairs Minister Pekka Haavisto had tested positive for COVID-19. She was told there was no need for her to isolate as she had had two doses of the vaccine.
That advice is given to all citizens.
As pictures published by a local magazine show, Marin then went out clubbing with friends in the Finnish capital of Helsinki early into Sunday. While she was out, her government work phone received a text urging her to avoid others and get a test.
However, she didn't have the phone on her and didn't see the message until she returned home on Sunday morning.
Marin initially defended her actions, noting she had followed the guidance given to her. But she has since apologised for the incident.
While she didn't have her government work phone, she said she had her parliamentary phone.
Her critics have been asking why she didn't take a cautious approach to isolate given she had been in contact with Haavisto.
"Of course [Marin's behaviour] hasn't been smart - it's been irresponsible," opposition politician Mia Laiho said.
Göran Djupsund, a political scientist, said to stay out "was a poor call by both her and her advisors".
Finland has recorded 197,476 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Like many other European nations, in recent months it has seen an uptick in infections.
Its seven-day rolling average on Wednesday was 1377, compared to 428 a year ago.
