Covid-19: What's new in Switzerland from Monday
From the end of quarantine for arrivals from France and two other countries, to new coronavirus restrictions in Basel, this is what’s happening in Switzerland this week.
End of quarantine for three countries
In September the Swiss government placed several French departments on its list of high-risk regions, requiring arrivals from those areas to self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Switzerland.
However, starting on November 23rd, all the regions of mainland France have been removed from the quarantine list.
Travellers from Belgium and Armenia are also exempted from the requirement from Monday.
At this time, quarantine is compulsory only for arrivals from the Austrian states of Salzburg and Upper Austria, as well as Andorra, the Czech Republic, Luxemburg, and Montenegro.
New restrictions in Basel
Basel City is implementing stricter coronavirus measures from Monday, as infections continue to rise in the northern canton.
Restaurants, cafes and bars will be required to close under the new rules, but work and school canteens, along with hotel restaurants for guests and street kitchens will be allowed to remain open.
Restaurants and cafes will also be allowed to serve takeaway food, although there will be a curfew on these services from 11 pm to 5 am.
Casinos and other gaming rooms, strip clubs, brothels, gyms, fitness centres, indoor swimming pools, dance studios, and ice rinks are also shutting down.
Events are restricted to 15 people.
READ MORE: What are the coronavirus measures in every Swiss canton?
However, beauty service providers such as hairdressers and massage therapists will be allowed to remain open.
The restrictions introduced in Basel are similar to those mandated at the beginning of November in the French-speaking cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Jura, Fribourg, and Neuchâtel.
Those regions have been the heaviest-hit by the coronavirus infection rate, while most of the Swiss-German regions have not been as impacted.
Rules are extended in Valais
On Friday Valais has decided to extend most of the health restrictions until December 13th, because the number of cases remains too high.
However, the cantonal government said it would relax some measures from December 1st.
For instance, it increased the number of people allowed to attend religious services from 10 to 50 — as long as protective measures like facemasks and distance rules are obeyed.
On the same date, visits to nursing homes and hospitals will be authorised "under strict conditions, limitations which may be set according to the health situation of the institution concerned".
Comments
See Also
End of quarantine for three countries
In September the Swiss government placed several French departments on its list of high-risk regions, requiring arrivals from those areas to self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Switzerland.
However, starting on November 23rd, all the regions of mainland France have been removed from the quarantine list.
Travellers from Belgium and Armenia are also exempted from the requirement from Monday.
At this time, quarantine is compulsory only for arrivals from the Austrian states of Salzburg and Upper Austria, as well as Andorra, the Czech Republic, Luxemburg, and Montenegro.
New restrictions in Basel
Basel City is implementing stricter coronavirus measures from Monday, as infections continue to rise in the northern canton.
Restaurants, cafes and bars will be required to close under the new rules, but work and school canteens, along with hotel restaurants for guests and street kitchens will be allowed to remain open.
Restaurants and cafes will also be allowed to serve takeaway food, although there will be a curfew on these services from 11 pm to 5 am.
Casinos and other gaming rooms, strip clubs, brothels, gyms, fitness centres, indoor swimming pools, dance studios, and ice rinks are also shutting down.
Events are restricted to 15 people.
READ MORE: What are the coronavirus measures in every Swiss canton?
However, beauty service providers such as hairdressers and massage therapists will be allowed to remain open.
The restrictions introduced in Basel are similar to those mandated at the beginning of November in the French-speaking cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Jura, Fribourg, and Neuchâtel.
Those regions have been the heaviest-hit by the coronavirus infection rate, while most of the Swiss-German regions have not been as impacted.
Rules are extended in Valais
On Friday Valais has decided to extend most of the health restrictions until December 13th, because the number of cases remains too high.
However, the cantonal government said it would relax some measures from December 1st.
For instance, it increased the number of people allowed to attend religious services from 10 to 50 — as long as protective measures like facemasks and distance rules are obeyed.
On the same date, visits to nursing homes and hospitals will be authorised "under strict conditions, limitations which may be set according to the health situation of the institution concerned".
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.