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Switzerland: Parts of Austria and Italy added to quarantine list

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Switzerland: Parts of Austria and Italy added to quarantine list
The new additions to the list will apply as of March 8th. Photo: Tolga AKMEN / AFP

Switzerland has updated its mandatory quarantine list. From March 8th, Switzerland will place additional regions of Austria and Italy on the high-risk list.

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As of March 8th, 2021, travellers from Austrian regions of Land Kärnten and Land Niederösterreich, as well as from Regione Abruzzo, Regione Campania, Regione Liguria, Regione Molise and Regione Toscana in Italy, will have to quarantine for 10 days after arriving on Switzerland.

Luxembourg has also been added to the list from March 8th.

Up until then, only arrivals from the countries on the following list will need to quarantine. 

READ MORE: Which countries are currently on Switzerland's quarantine list?

Under the rules in place since February 8th, people can leave quarantine after just seven days. More information is available at the following link. 

Seven days: How to leave quarantine early in Switzerland 

The official list of all the high-risk countries is here

Why are some countries banned, whereas in other cases regions are banned? 

Switzerland imposes the quarantine requirement only on certain areas or regions of bordering nations rather than on entire countries.

UPDATED: Who can enter Switzerland right now? 

The reason is “the close economic, social and cultural ties that exist with neighbouring countries. The incidence of infections is examined in individual areas rather than in the country as a whole”, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said. 

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This is only for countries that share a border with Switzerland.

Quarantine is compulsory for people arriving from countries and regions where the incidence of infections exceeds Switzerland’s by more than 60, which is just over 360 cases per 100,000 inhabitants as at February 10th, 2021. 

More information is available here. 

What exactly does a quarantine entail?

You must announce your arrival to health authorities in your canton of residence within 48 hours.

You must then stay in your home or another suitable accommodation for 10 days, without going out or receiving guests.

READ MORE: EXPLAINED: What are Switzerland's quarantine rules? 

Anyone who doesn’t comply could be fined up to 10,000 francs.

Also note that a negative Covid test doesn’t exempt you from having to quarantine - but it can help you leave quarantine after seven rather than ten days. 

However, some travellers are exempted from the requirement — for example those who are coming to Switzerland for an important work reason that can’t be cancelled or rescheduled, individuals travelling for an important medical reason that can’t be postponed, and transit passengers who have spent less than 24 hours in a country or area with an increased risk of infection.

As the epidemiological situation around the world is constantly changing, the list is updated every 14 days.

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