On 25 November 2021, the government of the canton of Vaud announced the return of measures to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The measures include reintroducing masks at school and accelerating the rollout of booster shots.
The government said that the canton is at the beginning of a new wave of infection and that case numbers could triple in the weeks ahead. Like previous waves, the authorities expect the current wave to last around three months.
At the same time, the government stressed that the situation is different to last year. With more than 80% of the eligible population vaccinated and a further percentage with natural immunity the impact on the health system is expected to be very different this time, it said.
From Monday 29 November 2021 until the end of the year, mask wearing will be reintroduced for school pupils from secondary I upwards, which includes children typically 12 and over. Pupils and teachers will be required to wear masks in class and during sports and singing lessons.
In addition, the canton is asking people 65 and over to quickly make an appointment to get a booster shot. Vaccine protection fades faster among those in this age group. Booster shots will help to reduce the number of hospitalisations in this group, said the government.
Vaud does not require staff in the healthcare system to be vaccinated. Instead it recently introduced systematic testing of unvaccinated doctors and healthcare staff.
The Vaud government invites those who have not been vaccinated to register on the site www.coronavax.ch or call 058 715 11 00.
More on this:
Government press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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