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Social life in Switzerland will continue to close during the festive season: restaurants must close at 7pm, shops must also close on Sundays and holidays. Private gatherings of up to ten people are allowed, as well as sports for five.
The Federal Council decided on Friday. The measures apply from (tomorrow) Saturday, December 12, 2020 and are limited to January 22, 2021.
The state government has largely followed through on the announcements it made last Tuesday, despite criticism from the cantons. It does not hide the fact that the cantons think little of this solution. “A large majority do not agree with the approach of the Federal Council.” Opinions differ widely.
Due to the fact that the cantons fundamentally shared the evaluation of the epidemiological situation in the consultation, the Federal Council acted anyway and hopes “a greater standardization of the measures”, as it writes. The goal is to further reduce the number of contacts and avoid crowds.
Cantons can make exceptions
The curfew from 7 pm applies to restaurants and bars, shops and markets, museums and libraries, as well as sports and leisure facilities. Except for catering establishments, the facilities must also be closed on Sundays and holidays. On December 24 and for New Years Eve, the curfew does not apply until 1 a.m. Take-out deals and delivery services may stay open until 11 p.m.
Pressure from the cantons and the National Council’s health commission has left more traces. The Federal Council provides exceptions for the cantons “with a favorable epidemiological development”. You can extend the curfew until 11 pm
The prerequisite for this is that the replay value is below the Swiss average for at least one week and the incidence of 7 days for at least one week. In addition, the canton should have sufficient health care and contact tracing capabilities. If a canton wants to extend its opening hours, it must coordinate with neighboring cantons.
Two-household rule as a recommendation
The Federal Council removes other restrictions on private meetings. It is maintained with the previous regulation with a maximum of ten people. Children are also counted. The Federal Council also strongly recommends limiting private gatherings to two households. “This regulation is clear and allows small-scale Christmas parties,” he writes.
The events will also remain banned in the coming weeks. There are also certain exceptions here. Religious celebrations are allowed up to a maximum of fifty people, funerals with family and close friends, assemblies of legislatures and political rallies.
Unaffected professional sports leagues
Sports and cultural activities are only allowed in groups of up to five people. Contact sports are still prohibited. Even in the non-professional cultural sector, group activities are limited to five people.
Children and adolescents before their 16th birthday can still participate in activities, except for contests. Training and competitions of members of a national team are also allowed, as well as training and games in professional leagues, but without an audience. Rehearsals and performances by professional artists or ensembles are also allowed.
Block (partial) not off the table
According to the Federal Council, the number of coronavirus infections is still very high and is increasing again in many cantons. “Hospitals are near the limit of capacity and health personnel are enormously stressed,” says the message. “This situation is worrying, especially since the risk of a further and faster increase in the number of infections in the coming days is high.”
With cold weather, people spend more time indoors. And during the holidays the number of private contacts increases. Therefore, a blockage or partial blockage is still possible in the coming weeks. Next Friday, the Federal Council will analyze the situation again and, depending on the urgency, will discuss “any additional tightening,” as it writes.
