Corona cases after the extraordinary session: Has the Federal Palace become a source of contagion? – Switzerland

So now the corona virus has really reached the Federal Palace. After the special session of the National Council, which took place on Thursday and Friday of last week, there are cases in our own ranks. CH Media editorial staff know about the national advisers who tested positive for the corona virus in the days after. Upon request, Parliamentary Services say:

It is better to add an “at least” to these cases. Because “there is no obligation for councilors to report positive tests or quarantine orders,” admits a spokesman for parliamentary services. Ultimately, there is simply no overview of the infection process at the Federal Palace.

More than 200 people in the parliament building

This, although a special precaution is required: Parliament is not subject to the restrictions imposed by the authorities; it can always carry out its constitutional tasks. In times of new event bans, the session was in fact the largest event in Switzerland. Not only were the 200 members of the national council and federal councilors allowed entry to the parliament building, but also federal employees, guests and journalists. People from all corners of the country met.

It is not known whether the affected parliamentarians could have been directly infected in the Bundestag building. Some may have arrived in Bern without suspecting anything infected or contagious. One thing is clear: Sometimes MPs who later tested positive reported infections to their group colleagues this week.

An overview of the infection process is missing.

Have other MPs been quarantined for possible infections in the Bundestag building? The parliamentary services explain that they have no information on this either. “The respective cantons are responsible for organizing quarantines for any contact.” The special session ended on Friday night, so the average incubation period didn’t end until the middle of this week.

After all: during the special session, protective measures were applied, such as a general mask requirement. Only those who sat in a place protected by Plexiglas were allowed to remove their mask. As the experience of the cantons shows, such measures do not necessarily exempt from possible quarantine. Even the masks only help contain the infection, emphasize the cantonal authorities of Bern.

Lots of Plexiglas and almost the same number of masks – the best images from the special two-day shoot in Bern

Parliamentarians cannot vote virtually

In fact, several national councilors did not go to Bern due to epidemiological concerns. Martin Bäumle (GLP) considered this to be “simply irresponsible”, as he explained to the “Tages-Anzeiger”. Meanwhile, his board colleague Stefan Müller-Altermatt (CVP) compared the special session beforehand to relevant superdirector events.

According to the “10vor10” investigation, nine national councilors did not attend the session on Friday alone, due to quarantine, isolation or self-protection.

The constitution itself requires the physical presence of parliamentarians. Regardless of this, the State Political Commission of the National Council is now initiating another attempt to change this. In a parliamentary initiative, it calls for “prerequisites to be created temporarily and quickly” so that voting can be taken from home during the winter session.