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Finally, the cantons and the federal government have come together and, together with the scientific community, have agreed uniform rules or recommendations for the whole of Switzerland for the use of masks, at private events and when working from home.
This is supposed to stop the “storm” of who does what and who is responsible for what, Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga said at the press conference, making no secret of her disgust at the vacillating and poorly coordinated attitude of the cantons. However, he was also silent on the fact that the Federal Council had been pleased to point out in recent days and weeks that the cantons were leading the way and thus had been relieved of responsibility for too long.
A cacophony
As much as the coordinated measures are welcomed, it is to be feared that the “storm” will not end there. Although all parties were aware of the seriousness of the situation after the close of March and had backed the Federal Council with a joint press release (“The political parties are united behind the Federal Council”), the cacophony began today minutes later. from the Federal Council press conference. .
The FDP complained that Health Minister Alain Berset had to “finally get the situation under control.” The SVP criticized the “drastic measures” and complained that we now had to pay “the price for the policy of the laissez-faire government of left-wing cities.” Knowing that the rural and conservative cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Schwyz and Wallis are currently among those with the highest infection rates, not to mention the Superspreader event at the flying song concert in Schwyz. And the trade association has already preemptively defended itself in the “Sonntagszeitung” against the requirement of masks in small shops, as if the corona virus circulates less there.
The effect of the measures can be seen below.
It does not take much imagination to imagine that this “storm” of sensation or nonsense of decided measures is likely to increase rather than decrease in the coming weeks.
Due to the incubation period, it will not be known whether the measures taken by the federal government and the cantons are effective for at least ten days for newly infected people, in two to four weeks for hospitalizations and around six weeks for wards. emergency. Until then, the numbers should only point in one direction: up.
Civil society is challenged
The fight against the first wave of the corona epidemic in March was only successful because a large part of the population supported the authorities and supported and implemented the measures.
If the fight against the second wave, which most experts believe we are in now, is successful, then we must unite again, to show solidarity also with vulnerable and at-risk people. If political actors cannot do that, then at least the much-invoked civil society has to step in, all of us. For the “storm” to really stop.
Urs Leuthard
Head of the television department of the Bundeshaus SRF
