The Federal Council has tightened the current crown measures to contain the pandemic again. The new measures apply as of Tuesday, December 22, 2020 and are limited until January 22, 2021. Summary:
Restaurants will be closed: Catering establishments are continuously closed, even during the festive season. Only company canteens, compulsory school canteens and hotel guest restaurants can remain open. Take-out offers and delivery services are also allowed.
Sports facilities are closed: Sports can still be practiced outdoors in groups of up to five people. Professional games can still take place without spectators. Sports activities of children and adolescents before the age of 16 are still allowed, except for competitions.
The cantons are still responsible for the ski areas
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The cantons are still responsible for the ski areas. The operation is possible under the following conditions: The epidemiological situation must allow the operation and sufficient capacities must be ensured in the hospitals for the location and testing of contacts. There must also be strict protection concepts and ensure their implementation. If these requirements are not met, a canton cannot issue a permit.
The cultural and leisure facilities will be closed: All cultural and leisure facilities such as museums, cinemas, libraries, casinos, botanical gardens and zoos must close. Cultural activities are still possible in small groups and for children and young people under 16 years of age. Audience events are still prohibited. Alternative forms of events are allowed, for example events streamed online.
Midterm evaluation on December 30
The Federal Council wants to be able to quickly take more action in the coming weeks if the situation worsens. Follow the development continuously. He will carry out a midterm evaluation on December 30, 2020 and will take stock in early January.
Request to stay at home: The Federal Council asks the population to stay home. People should keep their social contacts to a minimum and avoid unnecessary trips and excursions.
Store capacity will be further restricted: The number of people who can be in the stores at the same time is even more restricted. The maximum number of people depends on the commercial space with free access. Furthermore, strict protection concepts continue to be applied in all stores. Opening hours restrictions remain in effect: stores must be closed between 7:00 PM and 6:00 AM and on Sundays and holidays.
Possible easements in individual cantons: Cantons with favorable epidemiological developments may decide to facilitate, for example, the opening of restaurants and sports facilities. A number of reproductions below 1 and an incidence of 7 days that must be below the Swiss average are decisive here.
The use of rapid tests is expanded: Now they can also be performed without symptoms, for example at home or at work. However, anyone who performs a rapid test outside of the testing criteria must pay for it himself. Pharmacies, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and testing centers can now perform all kinds of rapid tests that meet the criteria of the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG). Until now, only rapid nasopharyngeal swab antigen testing was allowed.
Links to the measures taken by the Federal Council
The Federal Council expands the simpler procedure for short-time work
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With reduced time work, the crisis mode is extended again. The Federal Council extended the so-called summary compensation procedure until the end of March 2021. He expects even shorter work due to Corona’s measures in companies.
With the change in Covid regulation in early 2021, additional hours that have accrued outside of the reduced work phase will not yet have to be discounted. Additionally, temporary employment income is not yet counted toward part-time compensation, as stated in a message.
