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It is a fixed date on the federal president’s agenda: in mid-October he travels to St. Gallen to inaugurate the Olma, including a traditional photo of the magistrate with a pig in his arms.
But this year everything is different. The largest public fair in the country is a victim of the corona pandemic. Not Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga (60, SP) is going to St. Gallen this week, but Health Minister Alain Berset (48, SP). Instead of a photo of a piglet, there is a crisis discussion.
Contact Tracking am Anschlag
The Federal Council will meet today with the government of St. Gallen, “to have an idea of the current fight against the pandemic”, as announced by the State Chancellery. In the last week, the number of registered corona infections has increased considerably. Contact tracing teams in many cantons are working, including in St. Gallen. The occupancy rate is “very high”, according to the current situation bulletin.
Bern health director Pierre Alain Schnegg (57, Senior Vice President) yesterday approached the federal government for help. “Perhaps it is time for the federal government to support us,” said “Tagesschau” on SRF. I would hope to receive help from the army or civil defense in locating contacts.
Winter strategy foresees regional closures
Because the situation is likely to get worse in the coming weeks. The authorities know it. The federal government, the cantons and the federal scientific working group have been working on a winter strategy for several months, as reported by “NZZ am Sonntag”.
If you are no longer able to track infection chains, regional locks are also an option. But the cantons and not the federal government would also be responsible for these.
Berset visits FC St. Gallen
While the cantons bustle, Health Minister Berset toured the country. Last week he was a guest in the canton of Zug, so now it’s the turn of Eastern Switzerland.
Together with District President and Health Director Bruno Damann (63, CVP) and Safety Director Fredy Fässler (61, SP), Berset is visiting FC St. Gallen for the first time. It is about the topic of big events and their protection concepts. Then the governing councils and federal council visit the laboratory medicine center in St. Gallen.
After the tours, there will be a press conference at 1:15 pm How does Berset react to Bern’s call for help? Does the St. Gallen health director and former physician also want the federal government’s support? BLICK will report live at this time. (lha)