Epidemics Act (EpidA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Art. 1 Subject matter
This Act regulates protecting people against communicable diseases and provides for the measures required to do so.
Art. 2 Purpose
1 This Act has the aim of preventing and controlling the outbreak and spread of communicable diseases. 2 The measures under this Act are intended to enable: a. communicable diseases to be monitored and basic knowledge about their spread and development to be made available; b. the dangers of the outbreak and spread of communicable diseases to be recognised, assessed and avoided at an early stage; c. individual persons, specific groups of persons and institutions to contribute to preventing and controlling communicable diseases; d. the organisational, technical and financial requirements for detecting, monitoring, preventing and controlling communicable diseases to be created; e. access to facilities and resources for protection against transmission to be ensured; f. the effects of communicable diseases on society and the persons affected to be reduced.
Art. 3 Definitions
In this Act: a. communicable disease means an illness that may be transmitted to human beings by pathogens or their toxic products; b. observations means clinical findings (e.g. suspected diagnoses, confirmed diagnoses, deaths), laboratory analysis findings (e.g. test results, direct and indirect evidence of pathogens, typifications, resistance tests), epidemiological findings (e.g. key figures on healthcare-associated infections) and incidents (e.g. suspicious substances, objects) connected with communicable diseases; c. pathogens means natural and genetically modified organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other parasites), substances (e.g. prions, toxins) and genetic material that can cause or aggravate a communicable disease; d. handling pathogens means any activity involving pathogens, in particular their manufacture, reproduction, release, marketing, import, export, transit, retention, use, storage, disposal or transport.
Art. 4 Goals and strategies
1 The Federal Council shall in consultation with the cantons determine the goals and strategies for detecting, monitoring, preventing and controlling communicable diseases. 2 The following in particular must be taken into consideration in determining the goals and strategies: a. the findings of the reports under Article 76; b. international recommendations and guidelines; c. the current state of scientific knowledge. 3 The Confederation and the cantons shall, based on the reports, review whether the goals have been achieved, and take the relevant measures as required.
Art. 5 National programmes
1 The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) shall, in consultation with the cantons, develop topic-specific national programmes for detecting, monitoring, preventing and controlling communicable diseases, in particular relation to: a. vaccinations; b. healthcare-associated infections and resistance in the case of pathogens; c. HIV and other sexually transmitted pathogens. 2 The Confederation and the cantons shall implement the national programmes within the scope of their powers.
Art. 6 Special situation
1 A special situation arises if: a. the ordinary enforcement agencies are unable to prevent or control the outbreak and spread of communicable diseases, and one of the following risks is present: 1. a high risk of infection and of spread, 2. a special risk to public health, 3. serious consequences for the economy or for other areas of life; b. the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a public health emergency of international concern and this emergency poses a risk to public health in Switzerland. 2 The Federal Council may, after consulting the cantons, order the following measures: a. measures in relation to individual persons; b. measures in relation to the population; c. a requirement for doctors and other healthcare specialists to participate in combating communicable diseases; d. mandatory vaccinations for population groups at high risk, for persons who are particularly exposed to infection and for persons who carry out certain activities. 3 The Federal Department of Home
Art. 7 Extraordinary situation
If an extraordinary situation so requires, the Federal Council may order the measures required for the entire country or for individual parts of the country.
Art. 8 Preparatory measures
1 The Confederation and the cantons shall take preparatory measures to limit the risks to and negative effects on public health at an early stage. 2 The FOPH may instruct the cantons to take specific measures in view of a special risk to public health, in particular: a. measures to detect and monitor communicable diseases; b. measures in relation to individual persons; c. measures in relation to the population; d. measures to distribute therapeutic products.