Asylum centres are said to be following social distancing norms.
Keystone
Six asylum-seekers have been placed in quarantine after catching the coronavirus in Switzerland, according to news agency Keystone-SDA. Another 25 have been isolated after presenting Covid-19 symptoms.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone--SDA/ds
Español
es
La pandemia golpea a solicitantes de asilo en Suiza
Asylum centers are following the same protocols and restrictions as the rest of the population, notes the news agency. An occupancy rate of 40% across federal asylum centers means it is possible to follow the guidelines issued by health authorities.
The occupancy rate at cantonal facilities ranges between 60 to 100% so new infrastructures have been made available to respect social distancing norms.
Switzerland has halted the transfer of asylum-seekers to other members of the Schengen area, an option it has under the Dublin agreement.
The Dublin system
The so-called Dublin Regulation includes the European Union’s 27 members, as well as Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. It determines which member state is responsible for processing an asylum claim so that an application is examined just once within the Dublin area. A key goal is to ensure that an application is actually examined and that asylum-seekers cannot be shifted from one country to another without receiving a proper asylum procedure. Another aim is to prevent asylum-seekers from migrating on to other member states and lodging an asylum claim multiple times.
No transfers
Transfers within the country are also being avoided. Federal asylum centers and cantonal facilities register about a dozen entries per week, compared to 120 and 180 for the months of January and February.
The State Secretariat for Migration logged 965 asylum requests in March and expects lower numbers for April.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Pope was a person full of respect: Swiss president
This content was published on
Swiss president Karin Keller-Sutter, who is attending the funeral of Pope Francis, says the pontiff was always full of respect.
Ex-sect member sentenced in Zurich for sexual abuse
This content was published on
Zurich District Court has sentenced a former member of the globally active sect "Children of God" to a partial prison sentence.
SNB chairman does not rule out slowdown in Swiss growth
This content was published on
Martin Schlegel, chairman of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), does not rule out a weakening of the Swiss economy in light of the tariff dispute.
Swiss NGOs abroad to receive 10% less federal funding
This content was published on
In 2025 and 2026, Swiss NGOs will have 10% less federal funding available for international cooperation than in the previous two-year period.
It’s time for women refugees to have a seat at the table
This content was published on
Two women with different perspectives explain the challenges of making female refugees seen and heard in the integration process.
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.