Swiss government wants to extend Covid measures

The use of the Covid certificate is not part of the latest government proposals. Keystone/Gian Ehrenzeller

The government plans to continue a number of measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic next year.

It called on parliament to extend the legal basis for the current policy beyond the end of this year, notably for the health sector, labour protection, sports and culture.

However, neither the validity of the Covid certificate – the issue of a nationwide vote in November – nor extraordinary financial aid for companies and unemployment benefits are included in the bill.

The government said the aim was to ensure that it has the necessary tools next year to act if the current crisis persists.

The measures are expected to cost an additional CHF915 million ($994 million) next year.

The government on Wednesday also decided to adapt legislation allowing for the approval of several different imported vaccines to contain epidemics. Under current law, imports are only permitted if there’s no equivalent therapy available in Switzerland.

Jabs and infections

Meanwhile, latest figures show the weekly average of new infections and hospital admissions due to Covid has risen by about a third on Wednesday.

Today, the Federal Office of Public Health reported 1,846 confirmed new cases of Covid.

Just over 63% of the population in Switzerland have been fully inoculated, most of them with two shots of an mRNA vaccine, either from Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna.