What is really allowed yet? These 16 Answers About Business, Work And Ski Areas Create Clarity – Switzerland

(jk) The Federal Council is tightening national measures to contain the corona pandemic and will close restaurants and cultural, leisure and sports facilities as of Tuesday, December 22. There are 16 answers to urgent questions.

Will takeout and delivery services still be allowed?

The catering establishments will remain closed, only take-out offers and home services will remain.

Cantons with a reproduction value less than 1 may decide that catering establishments can remain open.

Are bakeries open on Sundays?

Yes, bakeries can offer the full range on Sundays as long as they generate two-thirds of their sales from bakery and pastry products. Affiliate cafes and bakery tearooms remain closed.

Cantons with a reproduction value less than 1 and an incidence below the Swiss average may decide that cafes and tearooms can remain open.

Are gas stations and shops in train stations and airports open on Sundays?

Service stations can only offer fuel between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Sundays, December 25 and 26 and January 1. Shops at train stations and airports (including grocery stores) will also remain closed.

Are the shops in the resorts and winter sports open on Sundays?

The same rules apply in winter sports and resorts as elsewhere. Stores (except pharmacies and bakeries) close between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., as well as on Sundays and holidays, restaurants are always closed, take-out and delivery services are allowed.

Cantons with a replication value less than 1 and an incidence below the Swiss average may decide that transactions can remain open.

What are the opening hours of the shops or businesses that offer services?

The shops and open-air markets, including the corresponding self-service offers, must be closed between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on Sundays, as well as on December 25 and 26 and January 1. This does not apply to pharmacies and bakeries.

The same applies to shops or businesses that offer services, such as post offices, banks, travel agencies or hairdressers, including corresponding self-service offers (eg solariums, laundry rooms). There is an exception for health facilities such as hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices, social facilities (contact points), public administration and police offices, counters for public transport companies and car rental companies.

Will store capacities be further restricted?

The number of people allowed to be in non-food stores at the same time will be further restricted. The maximum number of people depends on the commercial space with free access.

Will there be exceptions for holidays (like Christmas, New Years Eve)?

In principle, no exceptions are granted for holidays.

Exceptions can only be made in cantons where the epidemiological situation is better than certain thresholds. This applies to the opening of facilities and businesses in the field of gastronomy, culture and sports, as well as the opening hours of these businesses.

Are the dining rooms also closed?

No. In company canteens, the distance per person required in catering must be guaranteed. School canteens are also allowed in compulsory schools and restaurants for hotel guests.

What applies to Christmas and New Years in the ski areas of Switzerland?

The winter sports areas in Switzerland should also be able to remain open during the holidays if the epidemiological situation allows it and the medical care capabilities are sufficient. However, strict protection concepts and nationally standardized capacity limits are required on enclosed means of transport and must be applied consistently. This is to prevent the virus from spreading in tourist areas.

Ski areas require a permit from the canton to operate. The canton can only grant this permit if the epidemiological situation in the canton allows it and if the capacities are available in locating contacts, in hospitals and in tests. With regard to capabilities in health care, intercantonal agreements can also be made and included in the assessment.

Ski areas: What does this protection concept include?

There is no general capacity restriction in the ski area. However, in all closed modes of transport, i.e. trains, gondolas and cable cars, only two thirds of the seats can be occupied. This applies to seating and standing space.

It is also important that the necessary distance between people can always be maintained. The flow of people must be directed accordingly, especially in the waiting areas of the cable car stations and ski lifts. Those in line must wear a mask and keep their distance. A mask is also required on all cable cars, ski lifts and chair lifts. Special attention should also be paid to the waiting and access areas, also with regard to arrival traffic (public transport, car).

These measures are intended to ensure that close contacts and thus the risk of infection can be reduced. It is important that the operator informs the guests well about the applicable regulations and supervises the compliance with the measures.

Are there also stricter rules at winter sports resorts?

Yes. Winter sports resorts must also develop protection concepts to minimize risks from large numbers of visitors. The flow of people in locations should be directed, store opening hours coordinated, and places where Covid-19 testing can be performed should be clearly identified.

Wearing a mask is mandatory in busy pedestrian areas of winter sports resorts. Large gatherings of people in front of individual tents, for example at the end of the ski day, as well as après-ski activities in villages, should be avoided.

Can you still play sports in the next few weeks?

Sports and leisure facilities, including fitness centers and sports facilities, will be closed. All individual and group training sessions in the corresponding indoor areas are prohibited.

Individual sports carried out outdoors (such as jogging, cross-country skiing, cycling, etc.) as well as group training for up to 5 people in open terrain (excluding sports with physical contact) are allowed.

However, sports facilities may be open to sports activities for children and young people up to the age of 16 (for example, artificial ice rink, skating rink); Adults can accompany young children to the facilities, but they cannot play sports themselves.

Training activities in competitive sports and professional games are allowed in sports halls, competitions are only held with the exclusion of spectators.

Why is individual indoor training prohibited? No home coach training?

In the current situation, in which the spread of the virus in the population is very high, the probability of contagion increases in a closed space, for example in a gym, especially in a place where a sports activity is carried out.

Will it be possible to visit the museum?

No. Cultural, recreational and entertainment facilities such as museums, galleries, cinemas, libraries, botanical gardens, zoos, casinos, game rooms, etc. will be closed. Activities in the cultural sector are only possible for lay people as individuals or in groups of up to 5 people; in groups with distance and mask. Events in the professional sector with the public are prohibited.

Cultural activities (including visits to museums) with school classes are still allowed; As with sports, cultural activities for children and young people are not restricted before the age of 16.

Are theater or dance events allowed?

The implementation of events is generally prohibited. Only events of professional troops or orchestras without an audience are allowed, for example, for live broadcasts on television or broadcast.

Are special protection measures introduced for particularly vulnerable people?

In principle, the same protection measures apply to all employees. However, in the case of people who are particularly at risk, special attention must be paid to protective measures and adapted to the protection needs of these people (home office, work in separate areas, etc.).

Employers must systematically implement protection measures and cantonal labor inspectorates must monitor them as before.