Switzerland has joined the countries of the European Union and the Schengen area that have shortened the mandatory self-isolation requirement in recent weeks by reducing it from ten to five days. The decision was taken by the Swiss Federal Council in a meeting held on Thursday, January 12, during which the Council also decided to shorten the validity of COVID-19 vaccination and recovery certificates to 270 days.
Announcing the shortening of the quarantine, the Council noted that in order for a person to be able to leave the quarantine after five days, he must be asymptomatic at least 48 hours in advance.
"Contact quarantine is to be shortened to five days. In addition, quarantine should be limited to people living in the same household as someone who has tested positive or who has had close contact in other ways. People who have received the last dose of vaccine or who have been cured of COVID-19 in the last four months are exempt", The Council notes in a press release.
At the same time, Switzerland shall apply a decision of the Commission of the European Union taken on 21 December shortening the validity of vaccination certificates from one year to 270 days after the completion of the primary vaccination.
"The Swiss Federal Council also intends to reduce the period of validity of all forms of vaccination certificate from 365 to 270 days and thus ensure that the certificate remains valid in the EU.", It is shown in the press release. The validity of the recovery certificates has also been reduced to 270 days.
According to the other COVID-19 measures, which were introduced on December 17, 2021, they will remain in force until the end of March due to the tense situation in hospitals across the country, although the number of Omicron-infected patients in need of intensive care is much higher. lower compared to those infected with the Delta variant.