No measures in Switzerland
Why Chinese are welcome despite high Covid numbers
China has relaxed border regulations. This means that the Chinese can travel the world again. Due to the extremely high number of Covid cases, various countries require preventive measures. Switzerland is not one of them.
1/5
Should Chinese tourists arriving in Switzerland undergo a Covid test beforehand? Opinions differ on this.
Jean Claude RaemyEditor Economics
After nearly three years of virtually closed borders, China recently announced that the strict quarantine regime will be lifted on January 8, 2023. This makes it easier for tourists to travel to the Middle Kingdom again. Conversely, millions of Chinese can travel abroad again.
But just at this time Corona is spreading rapidly in China. Millions of Chinese are infected every day – after previously pursuing a zero-Covid strategy. As a result, various countries are imposing new requirements on the actually welcome tourists from China when entering the country. These are primarily China’s neighboring countries, which are also the first travel destinations for the Chinese. But also the USA and Italy.
New virus variants feared
The case of Italy is interesting in that the EU states have agreed in principle on a joint approach to selectively closing their borders. One remembers: Italy was hit particularly hard at the beginning of the Covid crisis in 2020. At that time, it was assumed that Chinese tourists had brought the virus. Italy is now correspondingly cautious.
Because there are fears that new virus variants may arise in China. Official Chinese information is considered insufficient by the US health authority CDC. Very high numbers of infected passengers were also reported from Milan: On December 26, two planes from China landed there, in which 97 of 210 tested passengers tested positive for Corona.
“Well-prepared Swiss population”
Travelers from China are still welcome in Switzerland. When asked by Blick, a spokeswoman for the Federal Office of Public Health explained that no new measures in connection with Covid were currently planned. According to the current state of knowledge, the predominant Covid variant in China is omicron. If Chinese tourists were to be imported into Switzerland, the virus would “hit a well-prepared Swiss population,” said the spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, the State Secretariat for Migration is responsible for imposing entry restrictions on specific countries. “Switzerland will – as during the pandemic – be based on the EU in terms of entry requirements and the risk list,” explains spokesman Lukas Rieder. This is because Switzerland is part of Schengen and it would undermine European entry regulations if third-country nationals could enter other European countries via Switzerland. Conversely, entry into Switzerland via another Schengen state could not be prevented.
Geneva health director wants compulsory testing
The EU is not currently discussing any specific measures against travelers from China. Italy has embarked on a unilateral path with its regulations for arrivals from China. Switzerland will not do that. She welcomes travelers from China until further notice.
This is not understood by everyone. The Geneva health director Mauro Poggia (63), for example, definitely wants to introduce a test requirement for people arriving from China. This is against the background that Air China will resume flights between Beijing and Geneva from January 26, 2023.