ZURICH – Switzerland’s government is due to unveil on Thursday how it plans to ease the country’s shutdown to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus epidemic, Swiss media reported.

Health Minister Alain Berset will outline a three-phase plan to begin the gradual opening of closed businesses and schools for a month.

Under Berset’s plan, companies that provide personal services such as hairdressers and physiotherapists will be allowed to return to work from April 27.Tages-Anzeiger and Neue Zuercher Zeitung reported.

The papers stated that the number of customers on their premises would be restricted.

Schools may reopen on May 11, after a gap of two or three weeks for monitoring. Bars and restaurants will remain closed until at least 8 June before reopening in the third phase.

No plans have been made as to when concerts or football matches may resume. Switzerland has banned the gathering of more than 5 people as part of its emergency measures.

The plans have not yet been decided, Tages-Anzeiger said, citing sources, saying the government is demanding the country’s regional authorities to stop acting alone.

Switzerland’s business community, suffering heavy losses from the shutdown, is lobbying to lifting the restrictions as soon as possible.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has so far claimed 973 lives in Switzerland, although the rate of positive tests has slowed in recent times.

Neighboring Austria has already announced a partial exit from its own lockdown, while Germany has announced its small steps out of the lockdown.