The Swiss government said on Wednesday that Switzerland plans to extend the lockdown by five weeks to the end of February, including closing all restaurants, cultural and entertainment venues. 

After consulting with the states, a formal decision will be made next week. The government said that it has cancelled exemptions for areas that are not as severe as the coronavirus, and from Saturday, nationwide measures will take effect. 

In mid-December, Switzerland adopted a month-long “light lockout”, ordering restaurants and sports and entertainment centers to close, and urging people to stay at home. 

The government stated that an extension is now needed because “it is already foreseeable that the number of cases will not decrease significantly in the next few weeks and cannot be sustained.” 

The infection rate has remained high, and despite the good news of the start of vaccination, further measures are still being discussed, including closing shops and compulsory work at home. 

Reuters