Today in Switzerland: A round-up of the latest news on Monday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Switzerland’s quarantine rule could be eased
With the summer holidays only weeks away, the Federal Council could relax quarantine requirements for travellers, according to NZZ am Sonntag.
Switzerland could follow the example set by Germany, where the quarantine obligation was lifted on Saturday for people who were vaccinated or recovered from Covid.
“It seems unrealistic to abolish travel quarantines altogether. Everything relating to tracing, isolation and quarantine remains one of the pillars of the fight against this pandemic", said Karim Boubaker, Vaud’s cantonal doctor.
“But I think we can become selective in making decisions about people who are immune to coronavirus”, he added.
Politicians are calling for the dissolution of the Covid-19 Task Force
The task force is under fire after its experts had erroneously predicted that number of coronavirus cases in Switzerland would reach 10,000 a day after the phase-out of restrictions.
Meanwhile, while outdoor restaurants were opened and some other restriction were lifted at the end of April, the number of infections has been falling steadily.
READ MORE: ANALYSIS: Why are Switzerland’s coronavirus numbers falling so sharply?
MP Thomas Matter from the Swiss People’s Party is accusing the task force of being too “alarmist” and “spreading horror stories", saying its experts should be dismissed.
Another deputy, Marcel Dobler from the Liberal Party also said the task force should “not base its recommendations on the worst-case scenarios. This creates fear in the population”.
When questioned about the prediction, Task Force’s vice-chairman Urs Karrer “was somewhat embarrassed”, according to Tribune de Genève.
He said that the models the experts used to make the prediction “will be re-examined”.
New map details hailstorms
Every year, hailstorms in Switzerland cause damages amounting to several million francs and represent one of the country’s greatest natural hazards, according to National Centre for Climate Services (NCCS).
But since existing documents show great disparities, the NCCS has created a new national map, based on measurements taken from 40,000 hailstorms, presenting the locations and frequencies of these events in more detail.
For example, the map shows that it hails particularly often in summer along the Jura, as well as in the cantons of Bern, Luzern and Ticino. And hailstones reach a maximum size of 2 cm, the equivalent of a one franc coin, 32 times a year in Switzerland.
This NCCS map shows the size of hailstones in various regions
Switzerland’s immunity card option is selected
After considering 52 proposals for the Covid cerificate / immunity card, the Federal Council opted for the solution proposed by the Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT).
“The system for issuing a forgery-proof Covid certificate on request to anyone who has been vaccinated, has recovered from or has recently tested negative for coronavirus will be available by the end of June 2021”, the government said.
The government said it would provide more information about FOITT’s solution, which is compatible with the EU’s Digital Green Certificate, "at an upcoming press briefing”.
READ MORE: UPDATED: Everything you need to know about the ‘green pass’, Switzerland’s coronavirus immunity card
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Switzerland’s quarantine rule could be eased
With the summer holidays only weeks away, the Federal Council could relax quarantine requirements for travellers, according to NZZ am Sonntag.
Switzerland could follow the example set by Germany, where the quarantine obligation was lifted on Saturday for people who were vaccinated or recovered from Covid.
“It seems unrealistic to abolish travel quarantines altogether. Everything relating to tracing, isolation and quarantine remains one of the pillars of the fight against this pandemic", said Karim Boubaker, Vaud’s cantonal doctor.
“But I think we can become selective in making decisions about people who are immune to coronavirus”, he added.
Politicians are calling for the dissolution of the Covid-19 Task Force
The task force is under fire after its experts had erroneously predicted that number of coronavirus cases in Switzerland would reach 10,000 a day after the phase-out of restrictions.
Meanwhile, while outdoor restaurants were opened and some other restriction were lifted at the end of April, the number of infections has been falling steadily.
READ MORE: ANALYSIS: Why are Switzerland’s coronavirus numbers falling so sharply?
MP Thomas Matter from the Swiss People’s Party is accusing the task force of being too “alarmist” and “spreading horror stories", saying its experts should be dismissed.
Another deputy, Marcel Dobler from the Liberal Party also said the task force should “not base its recommendations on the worst-case scenarios. This creates fear in the population”.
When questioned about the prediction, Task Force’s vice-chairman Urs Karrer “was somewhat embarrassed”, according to Tribune de Genève.
He said that the models the experts used to make the prediction “will be re-examined”.
New map details hailstorms
Every year, hailstorms in Switzerland cause damages amounting to several million francs and represent one of the country’s greatest natural hazards, according to National Centre for Climate Services (NCCS).
But since existing documents show great disparities, the NCCS has created a new national map, based on measurements taken from 40,000 hailstorms, presenting the locations and frequencies of these events in more detail.
For example, the map shows that it hails particularly often in summer along the Jura, as well as in the cantons of Bern, Luzern and Ticino. And hailstones reach a maximum size of 2 cm, the equivalent of a one franc coin, 32 times a year in Switzerland.
This NCCS map shows the size of hailstones in various regions
Switzerland’s immunity card option is selected
After considering 52 proposals for the Covid cerificate / immunity card, the Federal Council opted for the solution proposed by the Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT).
“The system for issuing a forgery-proof Covid certificate on request to anyone who has been vaccinated, has recovered from or has recently tested negative for coronavirus will be available by the end of June 2021”, the government said.
The government said it would provide more information about FOITT’s solution, which is compatible with the EU’s Digital Green Certificate, "at an upcoming press briefing”.
READ MORE: UPDATED: Everything you need to know about the ‘green pass’, Switzerland’s coronavirus immunity card
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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