There are various measures, rules and bans in place on the basis of the epidemic. They all have the same goal: to contain the coronavirus. The Federal Council will adapt the national rules if necessary. In some cantons stricter rules apply.
Overview: national rules and bans
Work
With the lifting of the federal government measures, employers now decide on homeworking and the wearing of masks at the workplace. Under the terms of the Employment Act they are obliged to take the precautions necessary to protect their employees. In addition, the rules protecting employees at high risk set down in COVID-19 Ordinance 3 still apply.
You will find information on the People at especially high risk site and on this SECO website.
Masks
In enclosed areas of public vehicles as well as in publicly accessible indoor areas of hospitals and clinics, retirement and care homes, people age 12 and over must wear masks. You’ll find more detailed information on the Masks page.
Isolation
Anyone who tests positive for the coronavirus must self-isolate. Details can be found on the Isolation and contact
with a person who has tested positive.
Penalties
Anyone who does not wear a mask in the enclosed areas of public vehicles and in publicly accessible healthcare facilities may be fined.
Measures to date
Would you like to know what measures the federal government has adopted in the past? In this case you have various options:
- The Ordinances section contains links to all applicable COVID ordinances. The links take you to the "Classified compilation" website, which includes all versions of the ordinances to date.
- The Explanatory notes section explains the currently applicable ordinances and all previously applicable ordinances.
- Overview as of 1 December 2020: Table Changes to the national measures (PDF, 256 kB, 23.02.2022).
- Overview from 27 April to 30 November 2020: Table on the easing and tightening of measures (PDF, 182 kB, 27.04.2021).
Cantonal measures
Since June 2020, Switzerland has been in a special situation under the terms of the Federal Epidemics Act. The cantons can still take additional measures going beyond those of the Federal Council. The measures can therefore differ from one canton to the next.
Consult the corresponding canton to find out which cantonal measures apply. Where the cantonal measures are stricter than the national measures then these must be observed. The links to information provided by the cantons can be found on the website www.ch.ch (in German, French or Italian).
Directives to the cantons
(These directives are not available in English)
Directive to the cantons concerning contact tracing and controls: German (PDF, 683 kB, 11.12.2020), French (PDF, 844 kB, 14.12.2020), Italian (PDF, 841 kB, 11.12.2020)
Healthcare provision
The cantons can require public and private hospitals to make capacity available to treat COVID-19 patients.
Hospitals are required to have sufficient stocks of essential medicines to treat both COVID-19 patients and those requiring other urgent medical treatment.
The federal government supports the cantons in ensuring the supply of medical goods.
To that end, it has issued a series of rules
e.g.:
- By introducing a duty to report for important therapeutic products and medical goods it is possible to identify supply shortages in good time and resolve them in a targeted manner.
- The federal government can centrally procure important medical products which cannot be acquired via the usual channels, so as to support the cantons and their healthcare institutions, non-profit organisations and third parties (e.g. laboratories, pharmacies). The material will then be distributed centrally.
- Certain medicinal products may be used in the treatment of coronavirus patients without being licensed by Swissmedic. The prerequisite is that the medicinal products contain an active pharmaceutical ingredient listed in the relevant Ordinance, and that a licence application has been submitted to Swissmedic.
The individual provisions relating to the supply of important medical goods can be found in COVID-19 Ordinance 3.
Reporting requirement for healthcare providers
The federal government coordinates the availability of hospital beds necessary for COVID-19 patients, for which it needs up-to-date information from hospitals. For example, the cantons are required to notify the Coordinated Medical Services (CMS) of how many hospital beds and intensive care spaces are occupied.
Ordinances
Explanatory notes
This content is not available in English. Please switch to the German, French or Italian version of this page.
Covid-19 Act
The Federal Covid-19 Act (in German, French or Italian) was passed by the Swiss parliament on 25 September 2020. It creates a legal basis allowing the Federal Council to maintain the measures resolved by emergency decree that are still necessary to manage the Covid-19 epidemic.
Links
SECO study on the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus (PDF, 1 MB, 20.07.2020) (Report in German with summary in French, Italian and English)
Legislation
Last modification 01.03.2022
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Infoline Coronavirus
Tel.
+41 58 463 00 00