New rules from today - more changes to come

Pixabay

As expected, the government has announced the end of some restrictions and provided a roadmap for the return to normality.

From today the obligation to work from home ends, but it does remain a recommendation. Also today, the requirement to quarantine if you come into contact with someone positive ends.  But those who have tested positive will still need to isolate. 

Other measures are likely to go before the end of the month – including the need to show a health pass to enter public areas, the limits on the number of people who can meet as well as the obligation to wear a mask. But at the press conference yesterday the health minister, Alain Berset, pointed out wearing a mask is not banned. 

He says the cantons will be consulted ahead of further changes in the rules. If all goes well, there could be another major change in rules on February 17th. 

Berset, says the end is in sight. He cautions that we can’t celebrate with ‘trumpets and fanfares’ as we will have to continue to live with the virus. But he says the health system is coping despite the very high infection rates. He confirms we seem to be heading to the endemic phase. 

More from Bitesize News

  • Geneva could foot the G7 bill

    Geneva fears it will be left with the security bill from a G7 summit just across the border in Évian, according to 24 heures.

  • US NGO discovers Swiss child abuse cases

    Switzerland relies too heavily on an American NGO to detect child sexual abuse online, raising questions about the country's ability to protect children on its own.

  • French singer banned by Paleo

    The Paléo Festival in Nyon says it will no longer invite French singer Patrick Bruel, after a former volunteer accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

  • Cars going uninspected

    The cantons are struggling to keep up with mandatory vehicle inspections, leaving more than 550,000 checks overdue nationwide.

  • War may lead to rent rises

    Rents may rise again, says the bank Raiffeisen.

  • Not a heatwave, yet

    Summer has arrived, with temperatures climbing past 30 over the long weekend. Basel reached 31 and Sion hit 32.4, but MeteoSwiss, says this does not yet count as an official heatwave.

Download our app

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play