Over 2,000 opponents of Swiss Covid-19 restrictions took part in a demonstration in the Swiss capital Bern on Saturday afternoon.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/sb
Protesters at the unofficial rally marched from Bern station to parliament square in the city centre, under the eyes of a large police contingent.
A counter-protest by about 100 leftwing activists on bicycles also took place at the same time in the city centre. Both demonstrations went off without incident.
Protests by groups opposed to the Covid certificate as well the government’s Covid policy in general, have been frequent, especially in Bern.
Last week the government cautiously announced that it would extend until the end of February coronavirus quarantine and mandatory work-from-home rules. It also tentatively plans to keep until the end of March other curbs on public life it tightened last month.
Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset told the Schweiz am Wochenende newspaper on Saturday that the use of the Covid-19 certificate could soon be over, as the Alpine country appears to be “on the right track” regarding its virus response.
Switzerland is currently undergoing a fifth wave of the pandemic, with the number of new daily coronavirus infections reaching unprecedented highs due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant: 37,992 new cases were reported on January 21 for the previous 24-hour period.
Despite the spike in new infections, hospital admissions have remained relatively stable, while the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care has fallen slightly in recent weeks.
Relaxed Covid-19 rules for people entering Switzerland also came into force on Saturday. People who are vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 no longer need to present a negative PCR or rapid antigen test before entering Switzerland. People who are not vaccinated or who have not recovered will still need to take a test to enter the country. However, travellers will no longer need to take a second test taken four to seven days after entering the country.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
Covid backlash: Europe’s populists eye opportunity in never-ending pandemic
This content was published on
Even before the emergence of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant, some European governments were facing resistance to restrictions.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.