Does the coronavirus affect trips to Switzerland?

We have time and can wait for further information. We will continue making our plans to visit Switzerland, but will make sure those plans can be cancelled/refunded. Like you, perhaps that third booster shot will do the trick.

The information I have received from this site has been so very welcome. Thank you all for your input and experiences.

Link

Hi, how do I make sure that my batch of AZ vaccine is approved in Switzerland? My 1st dose batch number is ABX6083 and second dose batch number is PV46701

Hi Vincent,

It's been confirmed that tourists fully vaccinated with Sinovac and Sinopharm will also be able to apply for the Swiss COVID-certificate. This will be possible from late November. I wasn't able to find an exact date yet, but I suggest you try again by late November or early December. You should be able to get your certificate then. I don't know if this is in time for the trip you've planned, but I hope it is :-)!

Hi Yenhan10! I don't think that the specific batch matters. If you have proof you're fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca, you'll be fine. You may be asked to show this proof when entering Switzerland, and you'll need to upload it digitally when arranging for your Swiss COVID-certificate. Please refer to the first post of this thread for details and links.

Hi,

I am vaccinated with Sinovac and I just checked the link you gave, the number 5. When the choices were given if what vaccine I have, there is no Sinovac. When can tourists with Sinovac get the covid certificate?

Thanks!

Hi Samuelxchang,

Currently travellers vaccinated with Sinovac cannot be issued with a Swiss Covid certificate. But as Annika mentioned in her post, this may change in late November and you will then be able to apply for the Covid certificate online. We do not know the exact date but as soon as we do we will update it on this thread. Thank you for your patience.

Regards.

Anna

I see. Thanks for the information!

Hi Anna,

Do you know if the the covid cert we get in Switzerland is usable in France and Austria?

Thanks!

Hi Samuelxchang! For those vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen, the Swiss COVID-certificate is valid in EU countries too. So that includes France and Austria. But for those vaccinated with Sinovac or Sinopharm, the Swiss COVID-certificate will probably be valid in Switzerland only. That's currently also the case for Swiss citizens and Swiss residents living abroad who've been vaccinated with Sinovac and Sinopharm, so I expect the same rules to apply to the tourist version of the certificate. Sinovac and Sinopharm aren't on the list of vaccines recognized by the EMA: that explains the difference in validity.

Please keep an eye on #5 in the 1st post of this thread. We don't have all details concerning Sinovac/Sinopharm yet, but we'll update our information once we know more.

Thank you. Appreciate it!

Hi Vincent,

I agree! This thread is so useful. Anyways, I am from the Philippines and we are in the same situation haha. Are you also planning to visit Switzerland next year? What tour operator did you use?

Greetings,

I did a bit of reading for this answer here on the forum before I am asking, so hopefully I didn't miss the answer somewhere!

With the new Swiss Covid certificate, I read this detail: "The areas that can be entered with a certificate will no longer require social distancing rules or the use of face masks."

So from that I conclude that if one travels with the Swiss Covid certificate, masking on public transport is no longer required for those with the certificate. Is this a correct assumption? It may seem obvious, but with Covid I don't like to make any assumptions!

Thanks for your help, looking forward to another trip to Switzerland fall 2022 with the help of the discounted STP!

micalj

Hi Micalj,

You don't need to present a Covid certificate to travel on public transport. However you are required to wear a mask. The same rule applies in supermarkets and other facilities or public places that don't require the Covid certificate.

The Covid certificate is required in restaurants (if you are dining-in), museums, bars, clubs, cinemas and other indoor or enclosed places. In such places you will be asked to show a valid Covid certificate and proof of ID before you will be permitted entry. In these places, the rules to wear masks and keeping your distance are no longer enforced.

I hope this clears your confusion.

For information about the Swiss Travel Pass 25% discount promotion: www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/swiss-travel-pass-25-off-until-11-december-2021

Regards,

Anna

Thanks Anna,

Yes that does clear things up. Had the vaccine, will be getting the booster soon and will apply for the certificate after that for the indoor mask free experience. Just looking forward to maskless travel sometime!

micalj

After cancelling our trip to Switzerland last year (thanks to everyone for their help with the planning), we are hoping that we can make the trip next year. We are from Australia and have been double vaccinated with AZ. We do have an international COVID certificate and realise that we will have to get an EU certificate. We are planning to come in June of next year so realise that the rules and restrictions will probably change before then.

We have been doing our research and are trying to risk assess every possible scenario, including looking into our Travel Insurance policy. My question relates to what would happen if we caught COVID whilst in Switzerland. Given that we would be staying in hotels, I very much doubt that we would be allowed to stay if we had COVID. Does anyone know what happens if a visitor gets COVID whilst in Switzerland? Thanks very much for your help.

Hi Marggy,

Good question. Hope it doesn't happen to anyone.

But in the unfortunate case that you get COVID-19 whilst travelling in Switzerland, then it's probably best to check in or register with a hospital. All foreigners will receive the same level of medical care as Swiss residents, but you may need to guarantee payment in advance. Costs can be extremely high. Be sure to contact your insurer for advice.

More planning tips here: www.myswissalps.com/coronavirus

Regards,

Anna

Even I have the same question, what if we get diagnosed with covid , as we need to do RTPCR test to get home. This is can happen as it recently happened to friends of ours in london, first wife got covid and later husband. They were quarantined in a london apartment for nearly a month. If one gets diagnosed, is it possible to self quarantine in an service apartment or is it compulsory to get admitted in a hospital?

the good part is the since most of activities in Switzerland are outdoors less chances of contracting covid .

Hi Manjiri vora,

sorry I could not find any official answer, but I found an article from a local newspaper, saying:

"if you have a positive test but you fill well, you will be told to isolate (usually for 10 days). Isolation means you must remain in a room by yourself and away from other people. If you are a tourist, this means a hotel room or another accommodation where you don’t mingle with others.
Your food should be delivered and left at the door. Under no circumstances should you go out for any reason and, even less so, return to your country until cleared by health officials.Health authorities in the canton where you were tested will be in touch with you to let you know when it is safe to end your isolation. Usually this happens after 10 or seven days — but only if your condition doesn’t deteriorate."

www.thelocal.ch/20210826/what-happens-if-a-tourist-gets-covid-while-in-switzerland/

I think this is a reasonable answer. To make sure I recommend calling the hotline Federal Office of Public Health FOPH, Infoline Coronavirus
Tel. +41 58 463 00 00.

Ildiko

Thanks Ildiko,

makes things more clear.

Hi marggy,

as i started planning our itinerary i also thought of the situation wherein we get positive in Switzerland. But as a traveler from the Philippines, we can and will be flying Emirates and I believe they offer multi risk insurance to all tickets issued before Dec 1,2021. The free insurance includes, I believe 150 USD per day during the quarantine and many others. Hope this helps.