COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTEIN
Phase 1: April 27, 2020:
Reopening of hair salons, cosmetic studios, doctors’ and physiotherapist practices, garden centers, and home improvement stores.
Phase 2: May 11, 2020: to be confirmed April 29, 2020
Reopening of compulsory schools (1st – 9th Grade), all other shops including department stores, and open-air markets.
Phase 3: June 8, 2020: to be confirmed
Reopening of education institutions, museums and zoos and libraries.
To read more via usembassy.gov, click here.
Coronavirus from CNNMoney Switzerland:
Switzerland’s army will distribute 1 million masks to leading retailers every day for two weeks starting Monday, the government said, even as it insisted people don’t need to wear them. Daniel Koch, director of the division of infectious diseases, said making masks mandatory could give people a false sense of security and they might not follow rules on keeping their distance and washing hands. To read more via cnnmoney.ch, click here.
Coronavirus: The Situation in Switzerland:
The federal government announced on April 16 an easing in three steps of measures aimed at combatting the pandemic. The deliberate approach to loosening the lockdown is based on recommendations from experts and the weighing of a number of factors, the government said, including the need to continue protecting the public, particularly those at high risk, and the economic benefits of a gradual lifting of measures. In the first phase, which will begin on April 27, hair salons, physiotherapists, hospital outpatient services, medical and dental offices, florists, DIY shops and garden centres will re-open with precautionary measures in place. This may include wearing protective face masks. To read more via swissinfo.ch, click here.
Coronavirus Lockdown Extended in Swiss Canton of Ticino:
The coronavirus lockdown will be extended in the heavily-hit Swiss canton of Ticino, despite being rolled back across the rest of the country. Ticino cantonal authorities on Wednesday applied to the Federal Council for an exemption to the first round of lockdown relaxations, which are set to take place from April 27th across the country. The application was approved late on Wednesday afternoon. In Ticino, hardware stores and garden centres are set to open on May 3rd at the earliest. Construction sites in Ticino will also remain closed until at least that date, although minor work with a maximum of 15 people – up from ten currently – will be allowed. To read more via thelocal.ch, click here.
Ending Switzerland’s Coronavirus Lockdown: The key questions
Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset laid out the way in which the country will emerge from lockdown. Restrictions will be gradually eased in three stages: on April 27, May 11 and finally on June 8, the government said. To read more via thelocal.ch, click here.
