Outdoor mask requirement: many cantons rebel against the Federal Council

Outdoor mask requirement soon? German-speaking cantons rebel against the Federal Council

A survey conducted by CH Media among the cantons shows: The proposal of the Minister of Health, Alain Berset, to extend the requirement of masks to the settlement areas has failed.

patrik müller, Bojan Stula and harry ziegler

In Ticino, an outdoor mask must be worn from tomorrow Tuesday, if the minimum distance from other people cannot be maintained. This was announced on Monday by district president Norman Gobbi (Lega).

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Is the southern canton, severely affected by the coronavirus, a pioneer for all of Switzerland? The day after tomorrow, Wednesday, the Federal Council will decide a similar norm at the national level. Consequently, all people “in the public space of the settlement areas” would have to wear a mask, as indicated in the draft ordinance that was delivered to the cantons in express consultation.

Not all cantons want to publicly declare their position before Wednesday. Solothurn, for example, is covered. But those who do are against the expansion of the mask requirement proposed by Health Minister Alain Berset. Aargau health director Jean-Pierre Gallati (SVP) spoke at the “Aargauer Zeitung” on Monday against a mask requirement in the settlement area. At the request of CH Media, other cantons are now expressing a negative attitude.

• Basel: Health Director Thomas Weber (SVP) announced that his canton also said no. “Especially when the indoor mask requirement is significantly adjusted, the ability to enter the open air unimpeded into the settlement area should be retained,” Weber explains.
• Cantons of Central Switzerland: They are also against an extension of the mask requirement to all outdoor areas. “We prefer a reduction in the number of people when people gather in public spaces as an effective measure,” says Zug Health Director Martin Pfister (CVP). This requirement is easier to explain than an outdoor mask requirement and can also be better controlled and enforced. The other health directors in Central Switzerland share this position.
• Zürich: The most populated canton has also presented a negative attitude towards the Federal Council. There is no official statement available. Health Director Natalie Rickli (SVP) believes additional measures are necessary in principle, but faces a majority of four on the seven-member committee opposing the tightening. These are the SP government advisers Jacqueline Fehr and Mario Fehr, who do not want any additional measures, as do Carmen Walker Späh (FDP) and, ironically, Rickli’s SVP party colleague Ernst Stocker.
• Thurgau: There is no established public position for eastern Switzerland, but the opinion of the canton of Thurgau is likely to apply in other parts of the country as well. Health Director Urs Martin (SVP) says: “In rural areas in particular, the requirement to wear a mask appears to be disproportionate.” The proposed provision in the regulation is also vague and difficult to enforce. Thurgau advocates wearing masks indoors, and Urs Martin says he himself

In view of the mostly negative comments, it is questionable whether the Federal Council will actually decide tomorrow to expand the mask requirement.