Switzerland removes Covid quarantine requirements for international travellers

The Swiss government has announced that it will replace its 10-day coronavirus quarantine requirement for international visitors with tighter testing protocols from Saturday 4 December.

Under the new rules, travellers entering Switzerland must now take a PCR test before travel, as well as second PCR or rapid antigen test between the fourth and seventh day after arrival. Testing costs must be covered by the traveller and are required from all inbound travellers to the country regardless of vaccine status or recent Covid recovery.

“This test ensures that infected persons who have contracted the virus shortly before or during travel are detected,” the Swiss Federal Council said in a statement. “In order to continue to prevent the new omicron variant from entering the country as far as possible, a stricter testing regime will now apply for all arrivals into Switzerland.”

The move follows a decision by the government’s Federal Council to remove all remaining countries from its quarantine list and comes in time for the winter holiday season.

The Federal Council’s statement added: “Non-vaccinated third-country nationals wishing to enter the Schengen area from countries or regions at risk will be refused entry to Switzerland for short-term stays without gainful employment of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days – apart from certain exceptions (hardship cases).”