Brits who have gone to Switzerland to ski are being forced to self-isolate in their accommodation for 10 days rather than hitting the slopes.

Switzerland is the only main alpine country with its ski resorts open and up until yesterday didn’t have any quarantine requirements for travellers from the UK.

But the Swiss government is now obligating people arriving from countries and areas with a high risk of infection to go into quarantine.

Following the discovery of the new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus in the UK and South Africa, the federal council has ordered anyone who has entered Switzerland from either country since 14 December to go into quarantine for 10 days.

A negative test doesn’t exempt new arrivals from the mandatory quarantine requirement.

However, there are exemptions to the rules for business travellers, people travelling for medical reasons, and transit passengers who have spent less than 24 hours in a country or area with an increased risk of infection.

What should Brits in Switzerland do?

Holidaymakers arriving in Switzerland from the UK should go immediately to their accommodation, keeping 1.5 metres from anyone else while on the way.

Public transport should be avoided if possible.

Anyone who has arrived in Switzerland since 14 December should remain in their accommodation.

Visitors need to report their arrival to the cantonal authority responsible within two days. They then need to stay inside their accommodation for 10 days.

Anyone who fails to comply with the quarantine requirement or the duty to report to the authorities is committing an offence under the Epidemics Act , which can be punished by a fine of up to CHF 10,000 (about £8,413).