Finally, there is some good news in these pandemic blues for those who love travelling. As Switzerland relaxed COVID-related restrictions from June 26, the government's Federal Council of Public Health has informed that persons from countries with a variant of concern like India, who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19, will be permitted entry without the need for a negative test or quarantine.
However, for those people who are arriving from a country with a variant of the virus of concern, they will be permitted entry as long as it is certain that the vaccination offers good protection. Those who have neither been vaccinated nor have recovered must present a negative PCR test or rapid antigen test and go into quarantine on entry, said the Federal Council.
This means that persons who have been vaccinated or who have recovered do not have to produce a negative test even when travelling from countries where the Delta variant is widespread (such as India or the United Kingdom) and do not have to quarantine on entry.
"The vaccines used in Switzerland are only slightly less effective against the Delta variant and thus still offer a very high level of protection", said the Council. The Swiss government has also announced that COVID certificates will be permitted as supporting documents in case of international travel and areas of application in the country.
In an FAQ, Switzerland's Federal Council of Public Health said that: "From 1 July, the federal government works on the assumption that anyone who wants a COVID certificate will have received one. From this date, only COVID certificates will be permitted as supporting documents for the areas of application in Switzerland.
This applies to cases set out in the COVID-19 Special Situation Ordinance, so e.g. events, cinemas, theatres and restaurants if they wish to restrict entry to those who are vaccinated, have tested negative or recovered." "In international travel and in the context of contact quarantine, alternative supporting documents are still possible", it added.
