Swiss voters were likely to pass legislation introducing a special COVID-19 certificate that allows only those who have been vaccinated, recovered, or tested negative to attend public events and gatherings by a large margin on Sunday.
After the voting, a prediction by the gfs.bern polling firm for public broadcaster SRF revealed that the measure, which is already in place, received the support of 63 percent of those who voted. The referendum provided a rare window into popular opinion on government policy to combat the coronavirus in Europe, which is currently the worldwide epicentre of the pandemic.
The vote on Switzerland’s “COVID-19 law,” which has also unlocked billions of Swiss francs in aid for employees and businesses affected by the pandemic, came as the country, like many others in Europe, is experiencing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.
Unlike others, the Swiss federal government has not responded with new limitations. Analysts say the government didn’t want to stir up more resistance to its anti-COVID-19 policies before the Swiss vote on Sunday, but if the Swiss say yes, the government could ramp up its anti-COVID efforts.
If the bill is rejected, the limits and rewards will be lifted. Opponents have raised a large sum of money for their campaign in recent weeks and have received international backing.
Swiss health officials warned on Tuesday of a rising “fifth wave” in the wealthy Alpine country, whose vaccination rates are approximately in line with those in hard-hit neighbours Austria and Germany, with nearly two-thirds of the population vaccinated. In recent weeks, infection rates have risen dramatically.
From mid-October to mid-November, the seven-day average case count in Switzerland increased by more than fivefold, with an increasing slope similar to that of neighbouring Germany and Austria.
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