Covid certificate rule under attack from student groups

Protests against the mandatory Covid certificate to attend university lectures already took place a week ago in Bern. Keystone/Peter Klaunzer

Students at several universities in Switzerland have staged protests against the mandatory use of Covid certificates to attend courses.

On Monday, demonstrators in the cities of Zurich, Lucerne,  Bern and St Gallen called for free access to education.

They argue that it is discriminatory to demand a certificate showing that a person is either fully vaccinated against Covid-19, recovered from the disease or has a negative test result.

The number of protesters in Zurich was estimated at about 150, while 100 turned out in Lucerne, according to the Swiss news agency, Keystone-SDA.

The protests coincide with the beginning of a new term for 300,000 university students across the country.

Most of Switzerland’s 12 universities say students need a Covid certificate to attend lectures and courses in person.

Just over 53% of the Swiss population have been vaccinated against Covid. Vaccinations against Covid are not mandatory in Switzerland but the government has recently tightened regulations. A certificate in necessary to access restaurants, bars, and sports and culture events indoors.

Vaccinations are free of charge but the government could go back on its decision to make asymptomatic people pay for Covid tests after October 1.