The decision is a consequence of falling infection rates as a result of both countries’ strong vaccine rollout.
Countries are placed on the list as a result of high coronavirus infection rates.
EXPLAINED: Can people from America and the UK come to Switzerland?
Swiss media reports that along with the US and the UK, the countries of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Ireland, Qatar, Lithuania and St. Lucia have been removed.
In France, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region has been removed, while in Italy, the Apulia region has been taken off the list.
These removals come into effect from March 25th.
Several countries have however been placed on the list, including a number of prominent holiday destinations.
These are Greece, Jamaica, Paraguay, Tanzania and the Ukraine.
These additions will not come into effect until April 5th.
For a full list and an explanation, please click the following link.
UPDATE: Which countries are currently on Switzerland’s quarantine list?
The official list is available here.
US and UK making progress in the coronavirus battle
In the latest update of its “red list” of countries and regions from which incoming travellers need to quarantine, the Swiss health ministry said travellers from the United States, the world’s worst-affected country in the pandemic, and from Britain, which is the fifth hardest-hit, will no longer need to quarantine from April 5.
Both countries have made great strides with vaccinations, and have seen new infection levels drop low enough to no longer trigger the requirement.
Switzerland puts countries and regions on its “red list” for quarantining once Covid-19 infection rates remain significantly higher than Switzerland’s own infection rate per for a period of 14 days.
On Wednesday, the Swiss rate stood at 523 new infections per 100,000 people. The country of 8.6 million people has to date counted nearly 585,500 cases of Covid-19, and close to 9,500 deaths.
Swiss authorities also said Wednesday they were planning to roll out by summer a certificate for residents who have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus.
‘Green pass’: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus immunity card in Switzerland
Note: This story previously stated that the countries would be removed from April 5th. However, the removal of the countries came with immediate effect, i.e. from March 25th. The additions to the list will apply from April 5th.
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Great that people from the USA and the UK will be able to visit Switzerland again. Hopefully they won’t want to go to a Cafe, Restaurant or Bar. This is all a bit bizarre that people from these countries can visit Switzerland when the vast majority of the Swiss population still remains to be vaccinated.
I think this action falls into the class of adding insult to injury or maybe rubbing salt in the wound for residents of Switzerland.
johnmaton – it doesn’t mean that residents of these countries can visit again for any reason, e.g. tourism. It’s still the case that only residence permit holders / Swiss nationals etc. can enter Switzerland – the only change is that these people don’t have to quarantine anymore when they come back from the UK/US.
See https://www.thelocal.ch/20210325/explained-can-people-from-america-and-the-uk-come-to-switzerland/
Some of this came into force today – from BAG
No longer on the list since 25.3.2021: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, France: Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Italy: Regione Puglia, Ireland, Lithuania, Qatar, Saint Lucia, United Kingdom, United States of America.