At-risk and immunocompromised support groups in Switzerland have called on public transport operators to allocate a “masked carriage” on Swiss trains. The COVID mask requirement is being phased out from April 1, sparking concerns that the medically at-risk and elderly will be exposed to COVID unnecessarily.

Mask carriage proposed for the most vulnerable in Switzerland

As part of scrapping most COVID restrictions, mask requirements on public transport will be revoked from the start of April. However, some concerned groups have called for a so-called “mask car” - a train carriage where the rule remains in place.

Eveline Siegenthaler, head of IG Integration Now, supported the idea, saying, “Of course, it makes sense for commuters who cannot do without public transport to have special cars reserved at certain times for the mask requirement.” Supporters argue that like smoking and non-smoking carriages in the past and quiet and children carriages today, a “mask compartment” could also be implemented.

Siegenthaler: Too soon to lift COVID mask mandate in Switzerland

Siegenthaler made the point that the rule would not only make sense for those with a greater chance of severe illness, but would also help anyone who wanted to reduce their chances of getting infected. She added that she didn’t think the mask requirement should be lifted and hoped the government would reconsider its decision. 

In response, media spokesperson for Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) Martin Meier, said, "As of today, no such cars are planned." He said that it wasn’t up to rail companies to say whether the rules should be changed or not and confirmed that SBB would continue to follow official government instructions.