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Just a few days ago everything seemed normal in Switzerland. There were discussions about relaxing quarantine rules for those returning from travel, reading with a slight shudder about the strict Corona requirements that had been introduced in some German regions, and shopping at a large furniture store on Saturday afternoon without a mask. At least in the canton of Aargau, where, unlike the neighboring canton of Zurich, no mask is required when shopping.
Women in Zurich
Photo: MANUEL GEISSER / imago images
The problems seemed to lie elsewhere. In neighboring France, in the main German cities, in the suburbs of Delhi. In Switzerland, however, people stayed relaxed. The situation was “closely monitored” by the federal city of Bern, each canton having its own rules, many of which were surprisingly lax. Especially in rural cantons, where only a few people were infected, life could go on with almost no restrictions.
The numbers have skyrocketed
And even though the numbers spiked in the first weeks of fall, hardly anyone was seriously concerned. The cantonal health authorities announced that the situation was stable, the hospitals were well prepared, and everything met expectations. That has radically changed in recent days. Swiss crown infections have soared in such a short time that even the rested “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” declared: “The dreaded second wave is here.”
Health Minister Alain Berset put it cautiously in Switzerland: “For about a week, the situation in Switzerland has deteriorated faster than anywhere else.” You could also say that the numbers have skyrocketed. On Friday, the country reported the highest number of new infections in a day with 3,105.
Then, on Sunday, the U-turn: starting next week, gatherings of more than 15 people in public places are prohibited, the government announced after a special meeting. The requirement for masks is expanding from local public transport to train stations, airports, and bus and tram stops. Oral and nasal protection should also be used in public buildings. This also applies to stores, schools, churches and cinemas.
Health Minister Alain Berset (second floor)
Photo: Marcel Bieri / dpa
As recently as Thursday, Berset had openly admitted how much he had surprised the country with this fact: “It is only at the end of October. We expected it, but for later,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting of Federal Council ministers with Cantonese representatives. Why is it so far now? Berset speaks of a “riddle”.
More than thirteen percent of the corona tests currently underway in Switzerland are positive (as of Friday). For comparison: at the end of September it was only a good three percent.
Many Swiss, who were wondering where to go on vacation safely, are now faced with a completely different question: could it be that the borders are soon closing from abroad?
And unlike spring, when the canton of Ticino with its border with Italy and individual densely populated cities like Geneva became Corona hot spots, this time it affects not only the centers, but also the mountainous regions.
The situation is particularly dire in the central Swiss canton of Schwyz, a region known primarily for beautiful lakes and low taxes. But now Schwyz has become a hotspot: the small canton reports more than a hundred new infections every day, in the last 14 days the virus has more than 400 out of every 100,000 inhabitants there. Caught. The neighboring cantons of Uri, Nidwalden and Zug also register high numbers. The Robert Koch Institute has declared that 10 of the 26 Swiss cantons are risk areas, including the mountainous regions mentioned.
A yodel festival at the end of September could be to blame for the misery: the musical “Uf immer und Ewig” brought together a good 600 people in two days of the event and, as is usual with yodelo, the singing was loud and powerful . Only a few days after the event it became apparent that some of the musicians on stage were infected and were not only spreading yodel music, but also viruses in the audience on those nights. Despite the concept of protection, many visitors were infected.
Meanwhile, local hospitals in particular are feeling the consequences of the outbreak. The Cantonal Hospital Schwyz has published a video in which Reto Nüesch, chief physician of internal medicine, describes the local situation as “getting worse and worse”. The video is accompanied by dramatic music, the message that director Franziska Föllmi sends to the population is clear: “Wear masks. Don’t party. Otherwise we won’t be able to do it anymore.”
