Lockdown: relaxation in three stages

As of April 27, 2020, hospitals may once again perform all procedures, including non-emergency ones, and outpatient medical practices as well as hairdressing, massage and beauty salons may resume their operations. Home improvement stores, garden centers, flower stores and nurseries will be allowed to reopen. The protection of the public and employees must be ensured. This was decided by the Federal Council at its meeting on April 16. If the development of the situation permits, compulsory schools and stores are to reopen on May 11.

© depositphotos, londondeposit

 

The Federal Council is relaxing measures to protect the population from the new coronavirus from April 27. For the order of the relaxations, the authority has considered several risk factors. These include the increase in close personal contacts, the increase in flows of people, the number of vulnerable people affected or the possibility of taking protective measures. In addition, the Federal Council evaluated the economic benefit of each relaxation.

Depending on the industry, obligation to wear a mask 

The Federal Council is pursuing several objectives with the relaxation strategy: It wants to continue to protect the health of the Swiss population as its first priority, especially those at particular risk. The relaxations are accompanied by protection concepts. Depending on the sector, these may include a recommendation or obligation to wear masks. The Federal Council also wants to keep economic damage to a minimum and reduce restrictions on basic rights where possible. The strategy is to be implemented uniformly throughout Switzerland, taking into account measures taken in neighboring countries.

First stage on April 27, 2020

In the first stage, the Federal Council will relax the measures from April 27 for facilities that have only a small number of direct contacts, can easily implement protection concepts and do not cause significant flows of people. Measures in the inpatient medical sector will be relaxed, and hospitals will once again be allowed to perform all procedures. Similarly, outpatient medical practices can resume normal operations and perform all procedures, including non-urgent ones. These include dental, physiotherapy and medical massage practices. This is also intended to prevent negative consequences that could result from not providing treatments and examinations.

Businesses offering personal services with physical contact can also reopen, for example hairdressing salons, massage practices, tattoo studios and beauty salons. Home improvement and gardening stores, as well as nurseries and flower stores, will also be able to reopen. In addition, unattended public facilities such as car washes will also be able to reopen. Finally, the restriction to close family members at funerals will be lifted.

In addition, as of April 27, the assortment restrictions in grocery stores will be lifted. If everyday goods and other goods are on the sales floor of grocery stores, they may be sold.

Second and third stage: May 11 and June 8, 2020

In the second stage, compulsory schools as well as stores and markets are to reopen from May 11. The Federal Council will make its decision on April 29. In a third stage on June 8, secondary schools, vocational colleges and universities are to be allowed to hold face-to-face events again. At the same time, entertainment and leisure facilities such as museums, libraries, botanical gardens and zoos are to reopen and the ban on public gatherings is to be relaxed. The Federal Council plans to decide on the details of this stage on May 27. The Federal Council has not yet taken any decisions on further stages. It will decide at one of its next meetings when major events will be possible again.

Stages depending on the development of the epidemic

The transition from one stage to the next occurs when there has been no significant increase in COVID-19 cases. Sufficient time must elapse between the individual steps to be able to observe the effects of the relaxations. Criteria are the number of new infections, hospital admissions and deaths, and hospital occupancy rates.

As soon as the number of cases in Switzerland has fallen sufficiently, the cantons will resume consistent tracing of infection chains: infected persons are to be detected, treated and isolated at an early stage, the transmission chains elicited and further transmissions prevented. To this end, an expanded testing strategy, a contact tracing concept, and an app that provides information about contacts with infected persons are being developed. Spacing and hygiene measures remain valid and important. Persons at particular risk should continue to stay at home.

Protection of employees at particular risk

With the gradual opening of certain services and companies, particularly vulnerable employees are to be comprehensively protected. The Federal Council has therefore specified the definition of particularly vulnerable persons and the protective measures.

The employer has a duty to allow particularly vulnerable persons to work from home, if necessary by providing adequate substitute work. If on-site presence is indispensable, the employer must protect the person concerned by adapting procedures or the workplace accordingly. A particularly vulnerable person may refuse work if he or she considers the health risks to be too high. If it is not possible to perform work at home or on site, the employer must release the person with continued pay. The employer may request a medical certificate showing why an employed person belongs to a particularly vulnerable group of persons.

Due to the epidemiological situation, the Federal Council has authorized the canton of Ticino to extend the restrictions on economic sectors until April 26.

Source: Federal Council

Apprenticeship examinations coordinated throughout Switzerland

On April 16, 2020, the Federal Council approved the solution for the vocational qualification of apprenticeship graduates approved by the VET network partners this year. For the practical work, one variant that can be implemented throughout Switzerland will be chosen for each VET program. The school examinations will be replaced with the experience grades. The Ordinance on Qualification Procedures 2020 in Vocational Education and Training comes into force immediately and is valid until October 15, 2020.

Detailed information on the examination modalities will be provided to those concerned by the cantonal vocational education and training offices. The modalities of the various Matura examinations will be decided by the beginning of May at the latest, as the Federal Council concludes.

Regulation here

 

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