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The federal government and the cantons want to quickly take additional measures to contain the pandemic. However, they take their time to discuss a national requirement for indoor masks and a recommendation for the home office.
They demonstrated unity in the fight against Corona: Health Minister Alain Berset, Lukas Engelberger as representative of the cantonal health directors, and Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga (from left to right).
Photo: Marcel Bieri (Keystone)
The federal government and the cantons want at all costs to prevent the Federal Council from having to resort to the emergency law again, as it did in the spring. Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga and Health Minister Alain Berset decided on Thursday after a meeting with the cantonsquickly take additional steps to stop the dramatic rise in new infections. “We are aware of the situation, it has to be very fast,” said Sommaruga.
It is obvious that the Federal Council and the cantons agree on a uniform national mask requirement for interior areas. This was confirmed by Lukas Engelberger, president of the Directors of Health Conference (GDK). In addition, a recommendation could be reissued for the head office in Switzerland. (Read our comment here: Take Action – Now!)
First it is consulted again
“Very fast” does not mean as fast in Switzerland as it does in neighboring countries. Rather, those responsible take time for federal prosecutions. On Friday there will be a videoconference of the GDK council in which Alain Berset will participate. This is followed by a consultation with all the cantons over the weekend on measures such as mandatory indoor masks. Based on feedback from the cantons, the Federal Council will adjust the existing ordinances, which means that the appropriate regulations probably won’t be issued until Tuesday at the earliest.
For their part, the cantons also want to “sharpen” existing measures, as GDK president Lukas Engelberger said. This should also affect the mask requirement, for example when it is not yet applied to stores, as well as restrictions for public and private events. Engelberger made it clear that the cantons must continue to limit the number of participants in public and private events. Private events would be of great concern to cantons because distances were often not kept. Stricter regulations could also be enacted here. However, the big parties and dance nights these days are “not a good idea.”
The federal government doesn’t want to shake it up at major events
There are no new restrictions at the moment for the big events that have been allowed again since the beginning of October. According to Berset, protection concepts that foresee distances and mask requirements work here. In addition, such events would have to receive the approval of the canton or the municipality.
At the press conference, Sommaruga, Berset and Engelberger called primarily on the population to consistently adhere to protective measures, wash their hands regularly, keep their distance and, when this is not possible, use More expensive. “It’s just before twelve again,” said Simonetta Sommaruga. As in March, the population must be shaken. The faster the trend breaks, the less drastic the restrictions on the population and the economy.
