GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Switzerland said Wednesday that travellers from the United States and Britain would soon no longer need to quarantine upon arrival due to falling COVID-19 infection rates, but Jamaica and others were added to the list.

Swiss authorities also said Wednesday they were planning to roll out by summer a certificate for residents who have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus.

In the latest update of its “red list” of countries and regions from which incoming travellers need to quarantine, the Swiss health ministry said travellers from the United States, the world’s worst-affected country in the pandemic, and from Britain, which is the fifth hardest-hit, will no longer need to quarantine from April 5.

Both countries have made great strides with vaccinations, and have seen new infection levels drop low enough to no longer trigger the requirement.

Ireland, Qatar, Lithuania, and regions of Italy and France were also removed from the list, which now counts 44 countries and 28 regions.

But Greece, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Jamaica, Paraguay, Tanzania and Ukraine were added, meaning travellers will need to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Switzerland, even if they produce a negative COVID test.

Switzerland puts countries and regions on its “red list” for quarantining once COVID-19 infection rates remain significantly higher than Switzerland’s own infection rate per for a period of 14 days.

On Wednesday, the Swiss rate stood at 523 new infections per 100,000 people.

The country of 8.6 million people has to date counted nearly 585,500 cases of COVID-19, and close to 9,500 deaths.

Like a number of other countries, Switzerland also said Wednesday it plans to roll out a travel certificate to help allow those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to move more freely.

“We aim for summer,” coronavirus taskforce chief Anne Levy told reporters, adding that it was “a challenging task but a realistic aim”.

The document would be secure and recognised internationally, she said, adding that Bern was coordinating work towards the certificate with the neighbouring European Union.

So far, fewer than half a million people are fully vaccinated in Switzerland, but health authorities have said they expect to be able to offer jabs to all residents who want them within the next few months.