Parliament wants the use of a tracking device to stem the spread of coronavirus in Switzerland to be defined in a law. The mobile phone app to be will be launched on a trial basis in the next few days.
The House of Representatives approved a proposal on Tuesday calling on the government to prepare a bill to be discussed at a later stage.
External Content
Never miss a top story: subscribe to our weekly newsletter now.
The Senate had agreed a similar proposal on the first day of an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss government measures to cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the debate, proponents argued that it is key to set clear rules for the use of such a tracking device, including data security and the voluntary principle for participants.
Opponents, including the government, argue a specific law is not necessary as current regulations are sufficient under the law on communicable diseases in force since 2016.
Scientists at the Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and in Lausanne are developing a mobile phone application to be ready for use next week.
Parliament’s decision is unlikely to stop the launch of the app as no specific legal basis is necessary for trials.
However, experts say it takes at least 60% of the population to participate in the test phase to make the contact tracing efficient.
The health authorities plan to resume the tracking of patients infected with the Covid-19 virus next week. The mobile phone application is one of several methods used to protect the population from virus.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Macron will attend Swiss summit on Ukraine, says Zelensky
This content was published on
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend the peace conference on Ukraine at the Swiss Bürgenstock resort next month, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Top politician tells ‘corrupt’ Eurovision to stay away from Bern
This content was published on
A social media post by the president of Bern’s cantonal government critical of the Eurovision Song Contest has created waves and will be discussed in the cantonal parliament.
Swiss centre records over 200 victims of human trafficking
This content was published on
Last year 317 people took part in a protection programme run by the Specialist Unit for Trafficking in Women and Women’s Migration (FIZ) in German-speaking Switzerland.
This content was published on
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.
Lack of smartphone sustainability in Switzerland hits environment
This content was published on
Almost half of all Swiss citizens hang on to their old smartphones, tablets and laptops, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva
This content was published on
The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.
New gel developed in Zurich renders alcohol harmless
This content was published on
A newly developed gel composed of whey proteins breaks down alcohol in the body and could reduce its harmful and intoxicating effects in humans.
Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities
This content was published on
Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.
Majority of Swiss in favour of contact tracing via smartphones
This content was published on
According to a survey, 64% of Swiss people are in favour of being tracked in return for alerts when they come into contact with people infected.
Covid-19 tracking: Knowing where you are without knowing who you are
This content was published on
Many governments in western democracies wish to use our mobile phones to track social-distancing compliance during the coronavirus pandemic.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.