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As long as the risk group is not vaccinated, the Federal Council is considering new restrictions. It could be this far in three weeks.
Federal Councilor Alain Berset at the press conference on the Federal Council’s Covid measures.
Photo: Anthony Anex (Keystone)
A week ago, the Federal Council announced that the crown’s restrictions would be relaxed. But the epidemiological situation has deteriorated significantly since then. The Federal Council will not open restaurant terraces or allow more sports activities. All that remains of the proposals is the lifting of the 5-person limit for private meetings. “A week ago he looked much better,” Health Minister Alain Berset said on Friday.
“We have already lost control twice, so very drastic measures were necessary.”
Instead of moderate openings, the Federal Council presented a three-phase model with which it wants to keep the epidemic under control until the summer. In any case, you want to avoid a sharp increase in the number of cases like in autumn. “We have already lost control twice, and then very drastic measures were necessary. That is exactly what we are trying to prevent now, ”Berset warned.
In three weeks there is the threat of tightening
As long as not all people in the risk group are vaccinated (phase 1), stricter values are applied, which the Federal Council decides to tighten again. The number of cases is central: from an incidence of 350 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 days, hardening is considered. Additional threshold values are the number of hospital admissions due to Corona, the occupancy of intensive care units with Covid patients, and the R value.
Currently, the number of cases is doubling every three to four weeks, the incidence is currently 200 cases: according to this, three of the four benchmarks could be reached in about three weeks. A little later, on April 14, the Federal Council wants to discuss the initial steps, which it has now given up on. However, a new setting may be discussed instead. Only when all those who want to be vaccinated in risk groups have been vaccinated (phase 2) are less stringent guidelines applied. As soon as everyone who wants to have been vaccinated, closures should be avoided altogether. At most, in some cases a mask requirement will still apply.
What happens when the risk group is vaccinated?
A controversial debate is looming in mid-April. In the departments of federal councilors SVP Guy Parmelin and Ueli Maurer in particular, there is hope of finding a majority for a quick end to most measures: at that time, all people in the risk group are vaccinated, so that there are no longer any restrictions on the entire population. For the time being, the Federal Council only decided that a further increase in the number of cases could be allowed, up to what level, it left open for the time being.
The two SVP representatives would have preferred to decide more openings yesterday, as confirmed by various sources. In doing so, they could trust the cantons, which had requested relaxation. However, the two quickly relented when Health Minister Berset argued that the situation was getting worse. He also referred to the tightening in neighboring countries. The committee quickly came to an agreement: widespread relaxation is currently unrealistic.
The economy is disappointed, the Greens speak of a “rational decision”
The SVP describes as unacceptable the “mini opening decision of the center-left majority of the Federal Council.” It is completely incomprehensible that it is still forbidden to eat four people in the restaurant, but that private gatherings with ten people are allowed at the same time.
Economiesuisse has also criticized Switzerland for the fact that it is now paying the price for delaying a consistent testing strategy and for not getting the vaccines. Chief Economist Rudolf Minsch says: “In the given circumstances, opening the restaurant terrace would be justifiable.” The same applies to the home office obligation. For the trade association, there is a lack of balance between economic and health policy issues. The director of the association, Hans-Ulrich Bigler, accuses the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs of no longer bringing the interests of the economy to the administration and the Federal Council.
Gastro-Suisse President Casimir Platzer complains: “Nobody knows where the policy of the Federal Council is going.” The fact that the Federal Council adheres to the hotel industry ban is disappointing and incomprehensible. One in five companies has already closed and as many are about to do so.
The FDP writes that it takes “critical” note of decisions and calls for faster vaccinations. The center welcomes the fact that 10 people are now allowed to meet privately and also demands a faster vaccination. The president of the Greens, Balthasar Glättli, on the other hand, speaks of a “regrettably necessary rational decision that the Greens support”. Of the high-risk group with the highest vaccination priority, not even a fifth are fully vaccinated.
