GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2020) Wearing face masks will become obligatory in all public places across Switzerland starting October 19, Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga said on Sunday, adding that spontaneous public gatherings of over 15 people will be also banned.
The measures are introduced because the epidemiological situation in the country continues to deteriorate. According to Alain Berset, the head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, the number of new cases is doubling every week.
"From now on, wearing a mask is mandatory in all closed public places throughout the country, including at railway stations and airports. We have unified the rules for holding private events and limited the number of participants at spontaneous gatherings in public places [to 15]," Sommaruga said at a briefing following a government meeting.
People are allowed to hold organized events if all security measures are taken. In this case, the number of participants should not exceed 100.
The authorities also recommended citizens to refrain from holding family and social gatherings if the number of participants exceeds 15.
Switzerland has confirmed so far a total of 74,422 cases of the coronavirus infection, including 1,823 fatalities. Since the outbreak, more than 1.5 million people have tested for COVID-19.
