© Maksym Velishchuk | Dreamstime.com
On 30 March 2022, Switzerland’s government announced the end of all measures aimed at reducing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from 1 April 2022.
Currently, the only federal measures left are the requirement to wear masks on public transport and in health facilities and the obligation to self-isolate after infection with the disease.
From 1 April 2022, these remaining federal measures will disappear. Cantons may decide to continue with some measures. For example, Geneva will retain a mask requirement in hospitals and nursing homes. In addition, the SwissCovid app is to be temporarily deactivated and user data on the federal system is to be deleted. Switzerland will move back to normal roughly two years after the virus was first detected in the country in February 2020.
Given the high level of immunity across the population, there has been no significant increase in the number of hospitalised Covid 19 patients in intensive care units over recent weeks, despite rising case numbers, said the government. A threat to public health is unlikely over the coming months, it said.
However, the future of the pandemic cannot be reliably estimated. From 1 April 2022, the authorities will maintain in a state of vigilance until spring 2023, remaining ready to respond if required. Response structures for testing, vaccination, contact tracing and monitoring will be maintained so that the cantons and the federal government can react quickly to new developments, said the authorities.
It is unlikely that the SARS-CoV-2 virus will disappear. Instead it is likely to become endemic leading to seasonal waves in the future, said government health officials. Going forward, monitoring is likely to rely more on testing samples of the population and techniques such as monitoring waste water.
In many cases, those travelling to Switzerland must still be vaccinated or have recovered from infection. This is not currently a requirement for EU/EFTA nationals and their spouses and dependants. More information on Swiss entry requirements can be found here.
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