SUISSE news Summer 2020
Health
July 2020

Coronavirus: The Situation in Switzerland


July 19, 2020

After imposing unprecedented restrictions on public life to contain the pandemic, Switzerland has eased its measures and re-opened its land borders. But since mid-June there has been a worrying rise in new cases of Covid-19. Here is where things stand and the latest on the measures still in place. 

  • Face masks have been mandatory on Swiss public transport since July 6. Some cantons (including Vaud and Jura) require customers to wear face masks in shops, and upper secondary students in Lucerne will need them after the summer break. Other cantons are considering the measure. From August 1, the University of Fribourg will require masks anywhere that the minimum 1.5-metre distance cannot be maintained.
  • Since July 6, anyone entering Switzerland from any of the 29 "high risk" countries, including the US, has to undergo a ten-day quarantine. From July 20, entry restrictions will be relaxed for 21 further countries, including Australia and Canada but excluding the US.
  • Travel is now possible between Switzerland and the European Union, EFTA countries and the UK. 
  • Tracing app SwissCovid has been downloaded about 1.6 million times, but only about 986,000 devices are running it. Tests are now free for residents.
  • Since June 22, public and private events of up to 1,000 people have been permitted on condition that contact tracing is guaranteed. Larger events are still banned.The recommended safe distance between people was reduced from two metres to 1.5 metres. Some cantons, including Basel and Ticino, have introduced stricter restrictions on gatherings than in the rest of the country.

What’s the current situation in Switzerland?
Around 33,500 people have tested positive to the virus and almost 2,000 have died in Switzerland, which has a population of 8.5 million. Cantons Ticino, Vaud, Geneva and Valais have been the hardest-hit parts of the country - they were hotspots early in the pandemic.

The lockdown and strict restrictions had a dramatic impact, flattening the curve and allowing the authorities to ease measures step by step. From its March peak, the number of new cases fell to around a dozen in early June, alongside a drop in hospital cases and deaths.

But since mid-June the number of new cases has begun to slowly creep up in different parts of the country. For example, two schools were closed in cantons Vaud and Jura after teachers tested positive. Hundreds of people were quarantined in Zurich and Olten after attending nightclubs visited by a number of individuals who were infected. Around one in ten new cases are from people returning from at risk countries.

Since the easing of the lockdown, public transport has returned to the standard timetable. However, the number of passengers remains below normal.

On July 1, the government announced that from July 6 passengers on Swiss public transport would have to wear face masks. The mask requirement applies to everyone aged 12 or older: on trains, trams and buses, mountain railways, cable cars and on ships. Federal Railways conductors ask anyone not wearing a mask to leave the train and anyone refusing will be fined.

While officials were initially sceptical of the benefits of face masks, the armed forces said later that they would be buying up to 100 million masks, which are to be sold to retailers at purchasing price, to address shortages. The government has a budget of up to CHF400 million ($412 million) to provide different types of masks. It remains the responsibility of hospitals, companies and private households to ensure own stocks.

With thousands of tests being carried out per day, Switzerland has one of the highest per-capita rates of testing in the world. The government adopted an extended testing strategy along with a contact-tracing concept as it moved to ease social distancing measures.

Since June 25, Swiss residents have also been able to download the SwissCovid smartphone app, a contact-tracing system.

The government has ended its recommendation that people work from home wherever possible. It will be up to employers to decide and put the necessary safety measures in place. 

Financial relief 
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer warned that the shutdown and bailout packages could result in a deficit of up to CHF40 billion this year. Various research institutes and banks are predicting a recession for 2020, followed by a recovery in 2021 – if the virus situation is resolved in the coming months.

In total, the government has set aside more than CHF65 billion to support the economy, as a large part of economic activity in the country came to a temporary standstill. On April 3, it announced it made available CHF40 billion in emergency loans for struggling companies. It has since presented a plan to offer additional loans totalling up to CHF154 million for start-up companies. Parliament has voted to approve the multi-billion franc bailout package.

The promised economic package provides relief for companies with liquidity problems to obtain transitional bank loans. Companies hit by the crisis will be able to defer payment of social insurance contributions temporarily and without interest. These measures also apply to self-employed persons whose turnover has fallen.

The government is also throwing a lifeline to businesses threatened by bankruptcy. Firms can delay declaring their financial difficulties to the courts, with smaller companies being given at least a three-month grace period to pay off their debts.

The pandemic has taken a greater toll on Swiss women than men when it came to balancing professional and personal responsibilities.

There is also money to cover the imposition of short-time work at firms while other funds have been set aside for hardship loans and to support specific sectors such as event management. Partial unemployment claims have increased sharply due to the pandemic and are expected to continue to rise. The period allowed for placing employees on short-time work will be raised from 12 months to 18 months from September 1.

On May 20, the government agreed an additional CHF14.2 billion in financing for unemployment insurance, announcing it would begin easing out extraordinary measures granting unemployment and short-term work benefits to more people. Exceptional claims to short-term work for self-employed and people in similar situations, as well as for apprentices, lapsed at the end of May. Short-term work claims have to be registered in advance again.

Following concerns voiced by the sports sector, the government announced it was allocating CHF500 million for sports leagues, associations and organisations in the country. Among the biggest beneficiaries are the professional football and hockey leagues, which could receive as much as CHF350 million to shore up the 2020-2021 season.

Switzerland announced a CHF400 million aid package to developing countries. Half of the funds would go to the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross as an interest-free loan, the foreign ministry said. Funds would also be provided to the International Monetary Fund and other international organisations helping developing countries during the crisis.

How has Switzerland eased the coronavirus lockdown?
The government approach to loosening the lockdown is based on a number of factors and expert recommendations aimed at protecting the public. The economy is also a consideration.

Private and public events of up to 1,000 people have been allowed since June 22, as long as contact tracing can be guaranteed. Restaurants hosting groups of four people or more must take the phone number of one of the parties present so that contact tracing is possible in case of a coronavirus outbreak.

Events with more than 1,000 people – notably festivals and sporting events – remain banned until the end of August at the earliest. Many of Switzerland’s biggest business and cultural events have been cancelled or postponed.What do you need to consider when staying in and travelling to Switzerland?

On March 25 the Swiss government imposed strict entry restrictions at its borders and airports. These are being progressively eased and adapted.

After improvement to the coronavirus situation, on June 15, the government allowed travel between Switzerland and all European Schengen states as well as Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom.

From July 6, anyone entering Switzerland from one of 29 "at risk" countries must be quarantined for ten days. Once they have entered Switzerland, they must register with the cantonal authorities. The list will be updated once a month. Travellers affected will be notified during thel authorities on arrival. Airlines and travel companies will also be instructed not to transport sick passengers. 

From July 20, travellers from the following countries, deemed as "safe", will be able to enter Switzerland: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, Montenegro, New Zealand, South Korea, Rwanda, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. At the same time, EU states not belonging to the Schengen area (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania), whose citizens have been allowed to enter Switzerland since June 15, will also be removed from the list of countries as risk. China will also be added to the safe list in accordance with EU recommendations, provided that reciprocity is guaranteed to Swiss residents, the government said.

Swiss travellers are advised to check entry conditions in other countries. The foreign ministry advises residents to avoid unnecessary international travel.

Swiss International Air Lines has significantly reduced its flight schedule. Check on the SWISS website for details.

In order to prevent and slow down the spread of the virus as much as possible, people known to be affected have been isolated in Switzerland. The government reintroduced a strategy of contact tracing in May. This means that anyone who has been in close contact with a sick person, i.e. less than two metres away for more than 15 minutes, must also remain in quarantine for two weeks.

Those worried about a possible infection are advised to phone the doctor’s office first, rather than showing up in person. The cost of a test (CHF180) will be reimbursed by basic health insurance, the Health Office announced in early March.

Masks have been compulsory on all public transport since July 6.

The authorities advise everyone to continue to observe the applicable rules on hygiene and social distancing in Switzerland. At public establishments such as restaurants, shops and museums, you must follow the rules set out in the applicable set of precautionary measures. This information will be provided on the premises. 

What’s the situation for Swiss citizens living abroad?
Under the Swiss Abroad Act, Swiss nationals living abroad cannot claim the right to an organised departure from a crisis area.

In March, the government advised Swiss travellers who are only temporarily overseas to return to the country as soon as possible. It urged tourists to register with a special travel app and provided chartered flights to repatriate stranded citizens.

The result was the biggest-ever repatriation operation of Swiss nationals. Nearly 7,000 people, including some 4,000 Swiss nationals, were repatriated on over 30 flights arranged by the Swiss authorities. Most Swiss tourists stranded abroad have since managed to return to the country, according to the foreign ministry.

All Swiss representations abroad remain accessible to Swiss citizens, and its helpline of the ministry is operational is operational. 


Where can I find further information on the implications of Covid-19?
swissinfo.ch is keeping this story updated daily with numbers of confirmed cases and deaths, as well as any new significant measures taken by the cantonal and federal authorities.

Unfortunately, we cannot research and answer individual questions. Please check the following official federal websites for the most accurate and up to date information.

Infoline for people travelling to Switzerland: +41 58 464 44 88 (6am–23pm)

The State Secretariat for Migration: updated information on the situation at the Swiss borders, with a helpline to answer questions about reasons for the refusal of entry into Switzerland and exceptions.

The Swiss foreign ministry: information in French, German and Italian about the situation regarding foreign travel and the steps to be followed by Swiss citizens going abroad.

The Federal Office for Public Health (FOPH): live updates of the national situation, as well as recommendations, public safety measures, and details of upcoming announcements.

The World Health Organization (WHO): information on the origins and nature of Covid-19, as well as the global situation and travel advice.

Johns Hopkins University: a global map that tracks the number of cases and fatalities by country.

Follow SWI swissinfo.ch here, For full article click here
SCCC Corporate Members
  • Habib Canadian Bank  (Subsidiary of Habib Bank AG Zurich)
  • Zurich Canada
  • Laderach (Canada) Inc.
  • Custom Spring Corporate
  • Rolex Canada Ltd.
  • Lette LLP
  • Swiss Business Hub
  • Roche Canada
  • Swissmar Ltd.
  • Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
  • Endress + Hauser Canada Ltd
  • Hilti (Canada) Corporation
  • Switzerland Tourism
  • Mazars LLP
  • Canadian Tire Corporation
  • Lindt & Spruengli (Canada) Inc.
  • Adecco Employment Services Limited