Covid-19: Opening step from Monday
On Monday, 31 May 2021, a further opening step will take place. In doing so, the Federal Council is going further than proposed in the consultation, in particular with regard to events, private meetings and restaurants. For companies that regularly test, there is now no longer a home office obligation.
For Switzerland, the second phase, the so-called stabilisation phase, now begins. As of Monday, 31 May 2021, the following will therefore apply, among other things:
Public events: inside 100, outside 300 persons
For events with an audience, there is now a limit of 100 instead of 50 people indoors and 300 instead of 100 people outdoors. Half of the room capacity may now be used instead of only one third as was previously the case. In contrast to the consultation draft, the seats at public events no longer have to be firmly assigned; mask and distance are sufficient.
Restaurants: also inside open again, outside tables for 6 people
Starting Monday, restaurants will also be able to reoccupy tables inside. The following applies: spacing or barrier, a maximum of four people per table, collection of contact details of all guests and compulsory seating. On the terrace, tables of six are now possible. The curfew between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be lifted. No mask has to be worn at the table, but anyone moving around the restaurant - indoors and outdoors - must wear a mask. Masks are compulsory for staff.
At public events, food and drink is permitted in the seating areas if the contact details of all visitors are collected.
No home office obligation for companies that regularly test
The home office obligation will be changed to a home office recommendation for those companies that test once a week. In order not to jeopardize the vaccination of the workforce, the return to the office will be gradual. As of January 18, 2021, employers are required to mandate home office wherever the nature of the job makes it feasible and can be implemented with reasonable effort. As soon as all persons who wish to do so have been vaccinated (start of the normalisation phase), the home office rule is to be relaxed without requirements for repetitive testing. The regulation on the protection of particularly vulnerable persons at the workplace will be extended.
Large events from 20 August 2021 with 10,000 people
From 20 August, large events with a maximum of 10,000 people can take place. In the consultation, 1 September was still envisaged. There will no longer be any capacity restrictions indoors. In addition, for outdoor events with compulsory seating, a spectator limit is to be waived.
Trade and public fairs
The capacity restrictions for holding large trade fairs and exhibitions for the general public are now to be set in analogy to the capacity restrictions for shopping centres. In order for trade fairs and exhibitions open to the public to also benefit from the protective umbrella, such events must now receive a permit from the canton.
Source: Federal Government, detailed information on the decision published today by the Federal Council is available here.
No quarantine for vaccinated and recovered persons
Those who have recovered are exempt from contact quarantine and travel quarantine for six months. Because even vaccinated persons cannot transmit the disease to a relevant extent, they are now also exempt from contact quarantine and travel quarantine for six months, as well as from the testing obligation and the obligation to provide contact details on entry. The prerequisite is a complete vaccination with a vaccine approved in Switzerland or by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Persons under the age of 16 are also exempt from the travel quarantine and the obligation to provide testing upon entry. The exemptions from travel quarantine and mandatory testing do not apply to recovered and vaccinated persons entering from countries with virus variants of concern.
