People travelling to Switzerland from Monaco and the French Riviera will have to self-quarantine for 10 days, under new restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Swiss authorities updated the list of high-risk areas on 20^th January, with the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur and Monaco among 15 new additions. The quarantine comes into effect from 1st February.
It means that people who have spent time in these areas and then enter Switzerland must go into quarantine for 10 days. A negative Covid-test result is not enough to escape the mandatory quarantine or shorten the isolation period in the Alpine country.
Certain categories of people are exempt, including business travellers who are visiting for an important reason that cannot be postponed, individuals travelling for an important medical reason that cannot be postponed, and transit passengers who have spent less than 24 hours in a country or area with an increased risk of infection.
Other new regions to make Switzerland’s red list are Cyprus, Spain and Malta, where incidence rates are rising.
Upon arrival in Switzerland, travellers must self-isolated in their place of accommodation and contact authorities within two days. Failure to do either of these is punishable by a fine of up to CHF 10,000.
Switzerland is the only country in Europe to allow skiing amid the pandemic, and many resorts were overrun on the weekend due to favourable snow conditions.
Numbers were so large in Flumserberg, for instance, the fire brigade and police were called in to control the crowds.
According to local media, rules regulating queuing have been broken in several ski resorts.
Meanwhile, Swiss authorities have started mass testing residents and visitors in the luxury ski resort of St Moritz after a new variant of the coronavirus was detected and two high-end hotels were put under quarantine on Monday.
 
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