FOPH list of risk countries

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Coronavirus: FOPH list of risk countries

The list of countries and areas with an increased risk of infection is updated on a regular basis. The latest list was published on 7 April. Anyone arriving in Switzerland from one of these countries or areas must, among other things, go into quarantine.

Explanation of the list

The federal government maintains a list of countries and areas in which there is an increased risk of infection with the coronavirus. The Federal Office of Public Health FOPH compiles the list on behalf of the federal government according to certain criteria. As the epidemiological situation is constantly changing, the list is updated on a regular basis. As a rule, the list is updated every 14 days.

Have you stayed in a country or area with an increased risk of infection and are now entering Switzerland? On the page Entering Switzerland, you can find out which requirements you have to observe.

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FOPH list of risk countries

The newly added countries and areas are written in bold in the respective list.

Older lists can be found in the corresponding version of the “COVID-19 Ordinance on International Passenger Transport Measures”. Access to all versions of this ordinance can be gained in the classified compilation (listed on the right-hand side in a box).

A reproduction of the list on a world map can be found on our website covid19.admin.ch.

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Criteria for the list

There is an increased risk of infection with the coronavirus in a country or region if at least one of the following requirements is satisfied:

  • 14-day incidence: In the previous 14 days the number of new infections per 100 000 persons in the country or region concerned is more than 60 higher than in Switzerland, and this number is not due to specific incidents or cases occurring in a narrowly defined geographical area.
  • In the country or region concerned, a mutation coronavirus has been proven to exist that carries a higher risk of infection or causes a more severe form of the disease than the strain of the virus that is widespread in Switzerland.
  • The available information from the country or region concerned does not allow a reliable assessment to be made of the risk situation, and there are indications that there is an increased risk of transmission in the country or region concerned.
  • In the previous four weeks there have been repeated instances of infected persons who have stayed in the country or region concerned entering Switzerland.

Areas bordering Switzerland can be exempted from inclusion despite the incidence. The reason for this is the close economic, social and cultural ties that exist with neighbouring countries – which are also the reason why greater differentiation is made in these cases by looking at the incidence in individual areas. You will find more information on this on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.

Updating of the list

Given that the epidemiological situation is constantly changing, the list is adjusted regularly. As a rule it is updated every 14 days. This is done by looking at data from the OWID ourworldindata.org on a specific cut-off date. The list is then updated on the basis of the data on this date. The updated list enters into force a few days later. A country's incidence may change between the cut-off date and the date of entry into force. In this case the list nevertheless remains valid. The lead time from the announcement to the entry into force of the updated list is at the request of the travel industry, and is designed to give travel agents and travellers a secure basis for planning.

How is this different from the SEM list?

The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) also has a list of high-risk countries. In this list the question is what countries you can enter Switzerland from. You will find more information on the SEM website. If you have a Swiss passport or a valid residence permit, you may travel to Switzerland from any country.

If you are permitted to travel to Switzerland, you must check what rules apply to entry. You might have to fill out an entry form for incoming travellers, show proof of a negative test and/or go into quarantine. These measures are independent of the above FOPH list of high-risk countries.  

Last modification 06.04.2021

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Contact

Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Infoline for people travelling to Switzerland
Tel. +41 58 464 44 88

Print contact

https://www.bag.admin.ch/content/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/liste.html