Switzerland prohibits flights from southern Africa
Flights to Switzerland from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa were stopped, reported RTS.
In addition, everyone who enters Switzerland from Hong Kong, Israel or Belgium must now show a negative Covid test and be in quarantine for 10 days, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced on November 26, 2021.
Entry into Switzerland from these South African countries is only possible with Swiss citizenship or a residence permit for a country in the Schengen zone. The regulations come into force on November 26, 2021 at 8 p.m. The repatriation of people with Swiss citizenship or Swiss domicile remains possible.
A new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (B.1.1.529) was discovered in southern Africa, has affected many in the scientific community. It has more mutations than any previous variant and can make current vaccines less effective. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified it as a worrying variant and the Swiss government has taken immediate measures to prevent or at least slow down the spread of the variant in Switzerland.
The BAG announced that test and quarantine requirements could be extended to other nations. However, neighboring nations would not be added.
The federal government has asked the cantons to contact all persons who have entered Switzerland from southern Africa in the last two weeks and to recommend that they carry out a PCR test so that SARS-CoV may be detected -2 virus can be sequenced.
More on this:
Communication from the BAG (in French) – Now take a 5-minute French test
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