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Switzerland updates quarantine list to add parts of Germany, Italy and France

The Local
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Switzerland updates quarantine list to add parts of Germany, Italy and France
A worker cleans a table on the Spanish island of Majorca. Photo: JAIME REINA / AFP

Switzerland has updated its coronavirus quarantine list, with several changes effective March 22nd. Here's what you need to know.

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The new changes to Switzerland's quarantine list came into effect on Monday, March 22nd. As The Local Switzerland reported earlier, both Spain and Portugal were removed from the list of March 11th

To enter Switzerland, you will need to fill out the following form. 

Coronavirus quarantine: Here is the form you need to enter Switzerland

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Regions added to the list

Several regions of neighbouring countries will be added to the list effective March 22nd. 

They are: Thuringia (Germany), Corsica (France), Basilicata, Lazio and Veneto (Italy), Burgenland, Upper Austria and Vienna (Austria). 

This is in addition to the following regions which are already on the list.  

France

Center-Val de Loire region, Hauts-de-France region, Île-de-France region, Normandy region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Occitanie region, Pays de la Loire region and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. 

Italy

Abruzzo region, Apulia region, Emilia Romagna region, Friuli / Venezia Giulia region, Campania region, Liguria region, Marche region, Molise region, Tuscany region and Umbria region. 

Austria

Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg and Styria

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Countries added to the list

Switzerland also decided that several countries would be added to the list effective March 22nd: Belgium, Palestine, Bulgaria, Jordan, Qatar, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Uruguay and Cyprus.

The following countries will remain on the list: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain. Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Estonia, Ireland, Israel , Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Peru , San Marino, Sweden, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, St Lucia, South Africa, Czech Republic , United Arab Emirates, United States of America and the United Kingdom.

Why are some countries banned, whereas in other cases regions are banned? 

Switzerland imposes the quarantine requirement only on certain areas or regions of bordering nations rather than on entire countries.

UPDATED: Who can enter Switzerland right now? 

The reason is “the close economic, social and cultural ties that exist with neighbouring countries. The incidence of infections is examined in individual areas rather than in the country as a whole”, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said. 

This is only for countries that share a border with Switzerland.

Quarantine is compulsory for people arriving from countries and regions where the incidence of infections exceeds Switzerland’s by more than 60, which is just over 360 cases per 100,000 inhabitants as at February 10th, 2021. 

More information is available here. 

What exactly does a quarantine entail?

You must announce your arrival to health authorities in your canton of residence within 48 hours.

You must then stay in your home or another suitable accommodation for 10 days, without going out or receiving guests.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: What are Switzerland's quarantine rules? 

Anyone who doesn’t comply could be fined up to 10,000 francs.

Also note that a negative Covid test doesn’t exempt you from having to quarantine - but it can help you leave quarantine after seven rather than ten days. 

However, some travellers are exempted from the requirement — for example those who are coming to Switzerland for an important work reason that can’t be cancelled or rescheduled, individuals travelling for an important medical reason that can’t be postponed, and transit passengers who have spent less than 24 hours in a country or area with an increased risk of infection.

As the epidemiological situation around the world is constantly changing, the list is updated every 14 days.

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