Cantonal government extends mask and certificate requirements

  01.12.2021 Local News

Since vaccinated persons can also become infected with the virus and spread it, the cantonal government has decided to extend the obligation to wear masks independently of any certificate requirement. This means:

- Every person over the age of 12 must wear a face mask during an event, at markets and at trade and public fairs, regardless of whether access requires a certificate. Speakers, people engaged in sporting or cultural activities and guests while consuming food and drinks are exempt. Also excluded are employees without contact with guests or visitors as well as people at private events.

- In publicly accessible indoor areas of facilities and businesses people must wear a mask. This applies regardless of whether access is restricted to people with a certificate. The same exceptions apply to the obligation to wear a mask as to events, markets and trade and public fairs. The obligation to wear masks also applies to employees who have contact with guests or visitors (e.g. staff in fitness centres).

- The obligation to wear masks now also applies to the outside areas of waiting rooms and access areas to public transport.

- The obligation to wear masks also applies to the staff of day-care centres; the previously applicable exception under federal law no longer applies.

- People working in outpatient care, namely employees of Spitex organisations, must wear a face mask.

- The obligation to wear masks indoors in schools is extended to pupils from the fifth year of primary school and to all teachers. The obligation to wear masks also applies during lessons and to administrative school staff and parents during school visits. Kindergartens and classes up to the fourth year of school are exempt from the obligation to wear masks.

- Hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the disabled and children and young people's homes are only accessible to visitors aged 16 and over with a certificate.

As the cantonal government writes, the measures in public spaces are limited until 23 December. The extended mask requirement in the educational sector is provisionally valid until 24 January 2022.

Further recommendations of the cantonal government
The cantonal government also urgently recommends a return to home office work wherever this is possible. If this is not possible and people share the premises, it should be mandatory to wear a mask in shared offices. This also applies to meetings. The cantonal government also recommends that hospital managers introduce the 3G rule for staff or organise repetitive testing.

Based on AvS/Anita Moser


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