Swiss expand coronavirus risk quarantine list, adds United States

Switzerland has expanded its list of countries here with a high risk of coronavirus infection from which new arrivals must quarantine themselves for 10 days, the Federal Office for Health announced.

The United States has been added to list, which also now includes more areas of neighbouring Italy and Austria, as well as Hungary, Poland and Portugal. It takes effect from Dec. 14.

Switzerland on Friday said it would allow ski resorts to remain open for domestic tourism but announced some stricter measures including banning singing to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The Alpine country has sought a different path from neighbours Italy, France and Germany which are keeping winter sports under wraps over the holiday period, while Austria has made ski holidays all but impossible.

Instead, Switzerland said resorts will need local authority approval to open after Dec. 22, a move in line with the country’s middle path of keeping the economy relatively open and relying on the public to comply with anti-COVID-19 measures.

Enclosed transport, including ski lifts, trains and gondolas, will be limited to two-thirds capacity from Dec. 9, the government said.

Main Photo: Passengers wearing a face mask passes in front of a information screen with advice on how to fight against the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 in the almost empty check-in hall at the Geneva Airport (Geneve Aeroport) in Geneva, Switzerland. EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON