The best way to protect yourself and others from infection is to get vaccinated and follow the rules on hygiene and physical distancing. It is also important that you get tested, self-isolate or quarantine if necessary.
You will find information to download on the “Protect yourself and others” campaign website: foph-coronavirus.ch.
Vaccination
Get vaccinated
We recommend that you get vaccinated against coronavirus because vaccination is the best protection against catching or spreading COVID-19 or suffering the long-term consequences.
Visit the Vaccination page for more reasons to get your COVID-19 jab and much more information on the topic.
COVID certificate
COVID certificate
People who are vaccinated, have recovered or have a negative test result can obtain a COVID certificate. It documents your health status, thereby contributing to protecting yourself and others. The COVID certificate enables you to enter premises that require a certificate, such as restaurants, bars and clubs, or to take part in other events. Exemptions to the mask-wearing requirement may apply in these settings. As the certificate is only issued if you are vaccinated, recovered or have a negative test result, it is one way in which we can break the coronavirus transmission chain.
For further information, visit the Measures and Ordinances and COVID Certificate pages. You can also enquire with the relevant event organiser or manager of the establishment in question.
Rules on hygiene and social distancing
There are hygiene and physical distancing rules to protect yourself and others against coronavirus. It is important that you continue to observe these rules.
Keep your distance
You can be infected with the new coronavirus if you have had close, prolonged contact with an infected person. By keeping the necessary distance (1.5 metres), you protect yourself and others from infection:
- When standing in line (for example in the supermarket), keep your distance from the people in front of and behind you
- Protect people at especially high risk around you by keeping your distance
- Observe the rules for visitors to old people’s homes, care homes and hospitals
Wear a mask if prescribed or if distancing isn’t possible.
In Switzerland it’s compulsory to wear a mask in all indoor spaces, except for private gatherings and at certain events where exemptions apply. Visit the Masks page for details of where masks must be worn, who is exempt, and how to use your mask properly.
Even in outdoor spaces, always also wear a mask when you’re out and can’t constantly keep your distance from other people. Wear the mask tightly covering your nose and mouth. By wearing and using your mask properly, you can protect yourself and others from infection: an infected person may be contagious for up to two days before symptoms appear without even being aware. So if we all wear a mask in confined spaces, we can all protect each other.
Requirement to work from home
This reduces contacts and thus the potential spread of the virus. Measures to safeguard the health of people working on site must be observed.
Ventilate several times a day
Ventilating indoor spaces helps remove air that contains virus particles and reduces the risk of transmission.
Good ventilation is particularly important in indoor spaces where people from different households congregate. Temperature permitting, it is a good idea to leave windows open for extended periods.
Please note the following:
- Always open the windows fully and ensure that there is a draft.
- Spaces where people from several households congregate should be ventilated at least once an hour for 5 to 10 minutes (e.g. living room with guests, common rooms)
- Ventilate classrooms every 20 to 25 minutes if possible. Further information and tips on this can be found at www.schulen-lueften.ch (website available in German, French and Italian only) and in the information sheet (available in German (PDF, 47 kB, 30.12.2021), French (PDF, 41 kB, 30.12.2021) and Italien (PDF, 40 kB, 30.12.2021) only).
- Remind yourself to ventilate: e.g. set an alarm on your mobile phone or use a CO2 detector that measures how well ventilated a room is.
- If you have a ventilation or air conditioning system: to ensure effective protection, make sure your system is on a high ventilation rate (maximum level of air changes per hour/ACH) and on the lowest possible air recirculation rate (information for operators on the Suissetec website).
Measures to reduce pathogens
Ventilation is the most important measure for protecting against transmission indoors over longer distances and to ensure healthy indoor air. There is also discussion of additional measures to reduce pathogens in indoor air:
Air filtration units
UV-C devices
Chemical disinfection systems
In order to efficiently remove particles and aerosols from indoor air, air filtration units must be equipped with appropriate filters, suitably sized and located, and regularly maintained. A frequent drawback is the high noise level at maximum power. The risk of infection when in close contact with persons infected with coronavirus cannot be effectively reduced by air filtration units.
Disinfecting surfaces or the air through the specialist us of UV-C radiation devices has long been a way of eliminating pathogens in professional settings. However, measurements of UV-C disinfection devices for home use have revealed significant shortcomings: they either exceed UV-C limits and therefore pose a risk to health, or the UV-C radiation generated is too weak to have a disinfectant effect. You can find out more about this in the fact sheet on UV-C disinfection devices for home use.
In addition, Devices are increasingly being marketed to disinfect the air in rooms. However, their usefulness is questionable and they can have harmful effects on people’s health if they are present in the room during operation. For more information on this and on the transmission of coronaviruses in general, refer to the document on disinfecting indoor air to combat the new coronavirus (in German, French or Italian).
Stick to the limits on events and social gatherings
Always keep to the permitted number of persons at events and social gatherings. Information on the current requirements can be found on the Measures and Ordinances page. Meet outside rather than inside where possible.
Important: The limits on numbers of people include children.
Please note: Information on the minimum requirements throughout Switzerland can be found on our websites. Stricter rules may apply in some cantons. If the canton has stipulated stricter limits or banned events completely, you must follow these rules.
Wash or sanitise your hands thoroughly
You can protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water because soap renders the virus harmless.
Wash your hands every time you come home, when you have touched objects or surfaces that have also been touched frequently by other people, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, and before eating or preparing food.
To wash your hands properly: wet your hands, apply soap and rub them together until you get a lather. Rinse thoroughly with running water and dry with a clean towel, if possible a disposable paper towel or a cloth roller towel.
You should also bear in mind that it’s best not to wear any rings, or to take them off before washing your hands and clean them with soap as well. Use cream to moisturise your skin, and keep your fingernails short and clean.
If it is not possible to wash your hands, hand sanitisers are a good alternative for rendering viruses harmless. They are particularly useful when you’re out and about, for example on the bus or train, or when shopping.
We advise against the use of gloves for day-to-day activities. They do not provide sufficient protection against infection and give a false sense of security.
Avoid shaking hands
Depending on what you have just touched, your hands are not clean. Infectious droplets can get onto your hands. They can then infect you if you touch your mouth, nose or eyes.
You can protect yourself from infection by:
- Not shaking hands.
- Not fist bumping.
- Avoiding hugging and kissing to greet people.
Cough and sneeze into a paper tissue or the crook of your arm
You can spread viruses by blowing your nose, sneezing, spitting and coughing, so please follow the social distancing rules to reduce or avoid the risk of transmission can all spread viruses if you don’t follow the rules.
- Cough or sneeze into a paper tissue, or if you don’t have a tissue into the crook of your arm
- Wash your hands afterwards every time you cough, sneeze, spit or blow your nose.
- Use a paper tissue, and use it only once, then dispose of it.
Always call ahead before going to the doctor’s or the emergency department
If you have to go to the doctor’s or an emergency department because of symptoms associated with the coronavirus, you must phone ahead.
If you are feeling unwell, experiencing health complaints or symptoms not associated with the coronavirus: Take it seriously and get treatment. Doctors and hospitals have made arrangements so they can treat patients safely with the necessary protective measures. You can therefore get treatment without any risk of infection.
Test, trace, isolate and quarantine
The measures Test, Contact trace, Isolate and Quarantine are designed to identify and break chains of infection from person to person at an early stage.
If you experience symptoms, get tested immediately and stay at home
If you feel ill, or are experiencing particular symptoms, get tested immediately to detect any infection at an early stage. You should also stay at home until the results of the test are available. These recommendations also apply if you have only mild symptoms or if you are vaccinated and have COVID-19 symptoms.
You can find information on how best to proceed in the event of a positive or negative test result on the page Isolation and quarantine.
You’ll find details of the typical symptoms on the page Disease, symptoms, treatment.
Get tested regularly, even without symptoms
Make use of offers to get tested regularly, even without symptoms. This helps to detect the spread of the virus early and stop it.
Regular tests are offered at work, in schools and in associations, for example. These tests are free of charge.
Visit the Tests page for further information on regular testing
To enable contact tracing, always provide your complete contact information
Always provide your complete and correct contact information in bars and clubs. The cantonal contact tracing authorities need this information to trace contacts and to break potential chains of infection.
Contact tracing identifies who has contracted COVID-19 and who is very likely to have been infected. The aim is for these people to consciously stay away from others (isolation or quarantine) and therefore not to infect anyone else. This is designed to systematically break chains of infection early on.
Visit the SwissCovid app and Contact Tracing page for further information on contact tracing.
Download and activate the SwissCovid app
The SwissCovid App for smartphones is now available to complement classic contact tracing. It will tell you if you’ve been in close contact with a person with the disease, even if you don’t know them personally. You’ll find more information under SwissCovid app and contact tracing.
Isolate and quarantine on instruction
Self-isolation and quarantine are measures designed to break chains of infection of the coronavirus and to curb the spread of the disease. If you have tested positive for coronavirus, you must self-isolate. If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, or if you have travelled to Switzerland from a country or region with a variant of concern, you must go into quarantine. Certain people are exempt from the obligation to quarantine.
You’ll find everything you need to know on the page Isolation and quarantine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answers to frequently asked questions concerning infection and risks can be found here.
Last modification 30.12.2021
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Infoline Coronavirus
Tel.
+41 58 463 00 00