The decision was made on Monday afternoon, with the change coming into effect at 6pm. 

Making such an immediate addition to the list is rare in Switzerland, where announcements are usually made at least a week before the country is placed on the list. 

However, this illustrates the government’s concern regarding the threat posed by the mutation. 

Die Virusvariante B.1.617. ist in Indien stark vertreten und könnte einen Teil des Schutzes, der durch Impfstoffe oder eine frühere Covid-19 Infektion besteht, umgehen. In der Schweiz ist die Variante derzeit nicht verbreitet.

— BAG – OFSP – UFSP (@BAG_OFSP_UFSP) April 26, 2021

The Indian mutation, as it has been called in Swiss media, is not only spreading in India, having been first detected in Switzerland on Saturday. 

READ MORE: India Covid variant found in Switzerland: health authority

The mutation is considered to be more dangerous than known variants because it carries two mutations of the spike protein, which gives it the “double mutation” moniker. 

According to Swiss media, the variant is believed to be not only more infectious than known variants, but more resistant to vaccinations and being able to infect those who have been fully vaccinated.  

The variant has already caused havoc in India, with the country’s health system under significant pressure. 

The country recorded 2,812 deaths during 24 hours – a record since the start of the pandemic. 

The other countries on the list can be seen at the following link. 

UPDATE: Which countries are currently on Switzerland’s quarantine list?