Since 13 September 2021, a Covid certificate has been required to enter bars, restaurants, museums, cinemas, theatres, public baths and various other places in Switzerland. From Saturday, 2 October 2021, the same requirement will be extended to the Federal Palace in Bern, reported RTS.
A bill making Covid certificates compulsory to enter the Federal Palace has been passed by parliament and by the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house. Parliament accepted it today by 146 to 27, with 17 abstentions.
The rules will come into effect on Saturday, 2 October 2021. Those with valid certificates will be allowed to enter and will no longer be required to wear masks or sit behind plexiglass.
Government staff who have not been vaccinated or recovered will be able to enter with a negative test.
Referring to those without valid Covid certificates, Gregor Rutz (UDC/SVP) said that parliamentarians cannot stand in front of closed doors.
If you haven’t been vaccinated, you need take a saliva test every three days, said Céline Widmer (PS/SP). Nobody can claim they have been excluded from Parliament, she said.
In response to opposition and to avoid delaying the introduction of the new rules, it was decided that elected officials without valid Covid certificates will be allowed to enter with a mask.
Parliamentarian Marianne Streiff-Feller (PEV/EV) said that it is reasonable to expect parliamentarians to comply with the same conditions as the general population. The decision to allow those without valid certificates to wear masks instead was incomprehensible and sends the wrong message, she said.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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