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If the number of corona cases increases in neighboring countries, only individual regions are placed on the risk list. Starting Monday, a quarantine obligation will apply to returnees from nine regions of France and Vienna.
The Federal Council enacted quarantine rules for Switzerland’s neighboring countries on Friday. It is mainly reacting to the growing number of cases in France. The most important questions and answers:
Why are there different rules for neighboring countries than for other countries?
With the special quarantine rules, the Federal Council takes into account the close economic and social relations with neighboring countries. Therefore, it generally refrains from adding the Swiss border regions to the risk list if the number of corona infections is too high. Instead, a distinction is made between regions. If there have been more than 60 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants during the last 14 days, only this region ends up on the risk list, even if, as in the case of France, the country as a whole exceeds the critical value.
Which regions in neighboring countries are new to the Swiss risk list?
In France, nine regions and eight overseas territories currently exceed the Swiss limit. These include regions in the south of France and Paris. As of Monday, returnees from these areas in Switzerland must be quarantined for ten days. Anyone who returns from one of these risk regions before 11:59 p.m. Sunday night can still avoid quarantine. The quarantine obligation also applies to returnees from the Austrian state of Vienna as of Monday. Actually, the state of Tyrol also has a higher value in Austria, but Tyrol borders Graubünden, so it does not end up on the Swiss risk list.
Is it possible to travel to risk areas in neighboring countries without quarantine?
The Federal Council provides exceptions for people who travel to a risk area in a neighboring country for professional or medically compelling reasons. You do not have to be quarantined when you return if the stay is no longer than five days and if a protection concept is developed and implemented. Also exempt from the quarantine obligation are those who engage in the arts after an event, athletes after a competition, and participants in specialized congresses. However, the Federal Council explicitly advises against traveling to risk areas in neighboring countries for other reasons. Anyone who goes on vacation to the south of France, for example, must be quarantined for 10 days.
For the time being, Vienna will no longer be a travel destination for Swiss tourists.
Photo: Georg Hochmuth (Keystone)
Are cross-border travelers subject to quarantine?
No. Cross-border travelers are already exempt from the quarantine requirement. Even when the border was closed in the spring, 330,000 cross-border travelers from neighboring countries were able to come to work in Switzerland. From France alone, 183,000 cross-border travelers travel to Switzerland, almost half of them to Geneva.
How is quarantine controlled for returnees from France and Vienna?
Switzerland does not carry out any additional checks at the border. In fact, when crossing the border, it is almost impossible to check if someone has been in a risk zone in France. Ultimately, the Federal Council depends on returnees to take responsibility for themselves. At most, in case of infection, contact trackers could find out by asking about the last contacts that the person was in a risk zone. But only if the person provides open information about it.
Currently, Marseille is not recommended as a holiday destination, as quarantine is mandatory when returning from the southern French metropolis.
Photo: Rebecca Marshall (Keystone)
In extreme cases, can border regions also be subject to mandatory quarantine?
This is not planned at the moment. However, the Federal Council will keep an eye on developments. If the number of cases in a border region increases dramatically, the current regulation will be revised, Health Minister Alain Berset said.
How are the border regions with Switzerland defined?
In France and Italy, the border area includes the adjacent administrative units. In France, these are the Grand-Est, Bourgogne / Franche-Comté and Auvergne / Rhône-Alpes regions. In Italy, these are the Piedmont / Aosta Valley, Lombardy and Trentino / South Tyrol regions. In Austria and Germany, they are the neighboring states of Vorarlberg and Tirol, as well as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
