Swiss health minister Alain Berset says the country is heading in the right direction, but warns the coronavirus can be ‘unpredictable’
Swiss health minister Alain Berset has signaled that the Alpine nation’s controversial use of a Covid-19 certificate system could soon be over since the public health response to the pandemic appeared to be “on the right track.”
The document – which indicates whether a person has been vaccinated, tested or recovered from the coronavirus and determines entry into public venues – has been in use since July 2021. Berset, however, suggested that Saturday was the right time for the system to be eliminated.
“The certificate period seems to be almost at an end,”Berset said to Switzerland am Wochenende that Berset believed the country was stable. “on the right track.”However, he cautioned that “virus has shown itself to be unpredictable on several occasions.”
Protests over restrictions placed on certain cities and certificates have been a hot topic for the past year. After gathering almost 200,000 signatures, anti-lockdown organizations were able to get a vote to change the law. In December, however, the majority of Swiss citizens decided to retain the system.
From December 20, those who have received a vaccine against Covid-19, or are recovering from the infection, have been restricted to eating at restaurants and participating in indoor activities. In addition, private gatherings in the country have been limited to 10 people – if there is even one person aged 16 and above present who does not have a level of either natural or vaccine-acquired immunity.
On Wednesday the government said it would increase quarantine and enforced work-from-home regulations until February. As the country fights against a fifth wave, the government made tentative plans to maintain other restrictions until March.
Berset claimed that there were nearly 38,000 additional cases reported in the 24 hours following Friday’s events. “transform the compulsory order to work from home into a recommendation, and end quarantines”If the situation improves in the coming weeks.
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