Authorities amend list of COVID-19 risk countries August 6
Category: Health and Medical
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
08/07/2020 (Switzerland) - Swiss authorities amended on Thursday, August 6, the list of high-risk countries due to their higher rates of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. The amended list includes all countries outside Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, with exceptions for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Korea, and Canada. As of Saturday, August 8, tourists from countries considered to be high-risk will not be able to enter Switzerland for short stays.
Public transport in Switzerland resumed operational services on a restricted schedule, while some regional train services are on regular timetables. Hospitals have been permitted to conduct all procedures, including elective surgeries, while massage parlors, salons, and hairdressers have also been allowed to resume operations. Events of more than 1000 people remain banned until at least August 31.
As of August 6, there have been 36,108 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country, and 1985 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.
Context
The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.
Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.
Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.
To reduce the risk of
COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following
measures:
|---|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| * | Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water. |
| * | When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands. |
| * | If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease. |
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