Switzerland’s Federal Council is set to meet for the first time in 2021 on Wednesday. 

The first item on the agenda is to consider the status of Switzerland’s current coronavirus measures beyond their current end date of January 22nd. 

READ MORE: What are Switzerland's current coronavirus shutdown measures?

Several measures are set to be extended until the end of February, according to reports in Swiss media.

This includes the closure of fitness centres, restaurants and museums. 

Health Minister Alain Berset is in favour of extending the shutdown measures until the end of February – and wants to ensure that they remain the same in all cantons, reports Switzerland’s Tages Anzeiger.

Swiss tabloid Blick is also reporting that the existing measures – which it calls ‘lockdown light’ – are set to be extended until the end of February. 

One important change however would be that “role model cantons” – i.e. cantons with a lower infection rate – would no longer be granted an exception to the measures. 

As The Local Switzerland reported on Monday, several French-speaking cantons had been given an exception to the national measures due to lower R-Rates. 

This allowed them to avoid putting in place the federal measures – provided their R-rate stayed below 1. 

This exception was however rescinded as these infection rates climbed. 

20 Minutes reports that a range of stricter measures have been put to the cantons for consultation. 

This includes a Switzerland-wide closure of all non-essential shops, defined in the report as “shops that do not sell everyday goods”. 

In addition, stricter requirements for working from home along with renewed school closures have been suggested.