A surge in cases has put hospitals under extreme pressure in Switzerland
Restaurants, bars, cultural venues and sports facilities have been ordered to shut next week in Switzerland which the Swiss government says is necessary as “hospitals and health care workers have been under extreme pressure for weeks and the festive period increases the risk of an even more rapid rise in cases”.
Sweden, had a liberal response to the pandemic and has tried not keep normal life intact is now introducing its toughest restrictions.
Government to recommend masks in public transport as new restrictions presented.
The number of people allowed into shops and gyms will also be restricted, and restaurants and bars will have to stop selling alcohol at 8pm, shutting 30 minutes later.
The government says that if these and other new measures do not have an impact on the spread of Covid-19, then they may introduce legislation allowing them to close shops and gyms.
Curbs on the numbers that can gather in restaurants, shops and gyms start from next week, while people have been told to work from home.
The Scandinavian country has not gone into lockdowns or closed businesses, relying instead on people’s common sense to control infections.
However, it is seeing a rapid increase in confirmed cases that is straining the health care system, with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven describing the situation as “very serious”.
It registered a record 9,654 new daily coronavirus cases on Friday and 100 deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 7,993.
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