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The federal government said the move was intended to halt tourism from countries after the discovery of new, more contagious variants of COVID-19.
GENEVA – Switzerland on Monday imposed an entry ban on arrivals from Britain and South Africa and ordered a retroactive quarantine for all arrivals from the countries since December 14.
The federal government said the move was intended to halt tourism from countries after the discovery of new, more contagious variants of COVID-19.
READ ALSO: The difference between a variant and a strain
He stressed that the mutation had so far not been detected in Switzerland, which is already battling a high and growing daily number of new coronavirus cases.
Swiss ski resorts are a major draw for European winter tourists from Great Britain.
“Following the discovery of a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus in the UK and South Africa, the Federal Council today decided to take action to prevent further spread of this new strain of the virus,” it said in a statement.
“All people who have entered Switzerland from these two countries since December 14 must be quarantined for 10 days.
“The Federal Council has also introduced a general entry ban as of today for all foreigners wishing to enter Switzerland from the UK and South Africa. This is aimed in particular at stopping travel from these countries for tourism purposes.”
Following a suspension announced on Sunday, the government said air travel between Switzerland and Great Britain and South Africa was now banned.
“A temporary repeal of the flight ban is being considered for people residing in the UK or South Africa and currently in Switzerland so they can return home” and vice versa for Swiss residents, “the government said.
“However, it is imperative that these return trips do not cause infections.”
Switzerland also immediately withdrew freedom of movement privileges for British citizens, which were to expire at the end of the year anyway, as Britain leaves the European Union.
Switzerland does not belong to the EU, but is part of the Schengen open border area.
“People from the UK are therefore subject to a blanket ban on entering Switzerland,” he said.
The government added: “So far no cases of the new strain have been identified in Switzerland.”
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