Swiss extend virus-related closures through end of February

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss authorities have announced plans to shut all restaurants, bars, sports facilities and cultural institutions through February in response to persistently high coronavirus transmission rates. The government said Wednesday some of the sites that were expected to reopen on Jan. 22 are to remain closed for five more weeks and the ones that remained open under regional exemptions will be shut, too. However, the national order set to  to take effect on Saturday does not a