Federal Council extends certificate obligation

As of Monday, September 13, 2021, a new certification requirement will apply to the interiors of restaurants, cultural and leisure facilities, and indoor events. This is the Federal Council's response to the tense situation in hospitals.

The certificate documents a Covid 19 vaccination, a previous illness or a negative test result. Because only people who are not infectious or who have a low risk of being infectious should meet, the risk of transmission is greatly reduced. The certificate allows measures to be taken against the spread of the virus without having to close facilities or ban certain activities. At events where certification is mandatory, all other protective measures, such as mandatory masks, are also eliminated.

Fines of up to 100 francs

Inside restaurants and bars, a certificate is mandatory as of Monday, September 13. On terraces, however, no certificate is required, nor in alley kitchens and catering establishments in transit areas of airports. Access to cultural and leisure facilities such as museums, libraries, zoos, fitness centers, climbing gyms, indoor swimming pools, aqua parks, billiard halls and casinos will also be restricted to those with a certificate. A certificate requirement also applies to indoor events (concerts, theaters, cinemas, sporting events, private events such as weddings in venues open to the public).

For reasons of the protection of fundamental rights, religious events and events for the formation of political opinion are exempt up to a maximum of 50 people. Guests or visitors in establishments without a certificate may be fined 100 francs. For the time being, the certificate obligation is to apply until January 24, 2022.

Certificate may be used in the workspace

Employers may only check the presence of a certificate for their employees if it is used to determine appropriate protective measures or to implement testing concepts. The information about the immunity status or the test result may not be used for any other purpose. If an employer requires its employees to undergo a test, it must bear the costs of the test itself. Only if the test is carried out as part of the repetitive tests in the company, the federal government will cover the costs. The use of the certificate and the measures derived from it must be consulted with the employees and documented in writing. For data protection reasons, the employer must use the low-data "certificate light" whenever possible, according to the Federal Council.

Source: The Federal Council