(Credit: Bern.com)

The Swiss Federal Council has decided to remove cantonal exceptions and apply federal COVID-19 restriction measures universally across the whole country starting Jan. 9, 2021.

Per the federal proposal, restaurants, bars, and cultural venues will remain closed throughout Switzerland until the end of February 2021.

The Swiss Federal Council introduced new measures on Dec. 22, 2020 that were set to end on Jan. 22, 2020, but due to the worsening epidemiological situation, the Council plans to hold a meeting with the cantons and extend the current restrictions. The final decision regarding regulations will be announced on Jan. 13, 2021.

The restrictions will undoubtedly affect opera houses, which have been closed for over a month and have decided to begin streaming performances and recitals.

Switzerland is undergoing a second COVID-19 wave, with new daily infections continuing to rise.