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Now it’s serious. The coronavirus is spreading at breakneck speed in Switzerland. Today, Thursday, the Federal Office of Public Health reported 5,256 new infections in 24 hours, as well as 106 hospital admissions and 11 new deaths. “The situation is worrying and is deteriorating rapidly,” Health Minister Alain Berset (48) warned on Wednesday. “We must react.” He also pressured the cantons to quickly take more effective protection measures; otherwise, the federal government would act.
On Thursday, Berset met with representatives of the Directors of Health Conference (GDK) under its chairman and Basel government adviser Lukas Engelberger (45). “The cantons are aware of the seriousness of the situation,” Berset said with satisfaction after this meeting.
Slow statt lock
GDK President Engelberger emphasized: “The situation is very serious, we have to act.” The cantons would have to take further action. Some have already done so, others would follow.
Engelberger also has clear ideas about the areas where cantons should improve: he advocates for further expansion of the mask requirement, especially at work; a greater restriction on crowds; Capacity restrictions in companies; restriction of leisure activities in clubs, etc. Other restrictions are also necessary in restaurants, such as opening hours, that is, curfew.
Engelberger does not give specific numbers or limits. The key direction for the cantons is: “We have to reduce and slow down public life.” The pandemic must be stopped and its momentum broken. “We don’t want to do that with a block or a mini block. But it needs a slowdown! “Everyone has to reduce their contacts, especially in daily behavior or during leisure activities.” Then we can avoid a lockdown! “
The end of the patchwork quilt at events?
On Wednesday, the Federal Council wants to decide on any new measures at the Swiss level. In the coming days, Berset intends to present the corresponding proposals to the cantons for consultation. These are meetings of people, events and public facilities. Berset does not yet want to name concrete measures to discuss. But they would have to be measures that were “justifiable” for the whole country.
However, big events will be a theme, as Engelberger pointed out. So it is quite possible that the federal government will soon finish the current patchwork quilt for major events.
Rapid tests are coming “very soon”
Health Minister Berset also raised hopes for the corona rapid tests: they would be used “very soon” in Switzerland. “We have evaluated these tests, the results look good.”
However, the tests should only be used to track the pandemic, and not simply to test people in businesses or at the border.
However, some issues still need to be clarified, such as distribution and organization, notifications, and testing capabilities. Here you also have to consult the cantons. “We don’t want to fly blind here either,” says Berset.
The night on Blick TV: Berset warns and the cantons tighten the screw(19:50)
Parmelin invites you to the round table
Also on Thursday, Economy Minister and Senior Vice President Guy Parmelin (60) invited business associations, unions and cantons to another business summit. Because for certain industries, old problems come back with new restrictions. Unions insist that the short-time and job substitution regime be extended again, for example for temporary employees.
Watch TV in the morning: This is what the mini lock would look like(22:35)
The umbrella organization Travail Suisse is also bringing a new demand to the table: “We demand that all companies have to present a concept of crown protection for their operations and that these are also monitored more closely by the authorities”, says the president of the association and former national councilor of the SP, Adrian Wüthrich (40). “Businesses must take the protection of their employees even more seriously.”
