Coronavirus: Supreme Director of Health criticizes turbulent opening

“The decision is very reckless” – chief health director criticizes turbulent opening

The cantons want more speed, but in general they support the step-by-step easing of the Federal Council. Lukas Engelberger, chief health director, criticizes national councilors who want to force openings regardless of the epidemiological situation.

Christoph Bernet / ch media

Everything should be fine on March 22: restaurants, gyms, cultural and entertainment establishments. That is what the majority of the National Council Health Commission wants. She wants to enforce the initial step with additions to the urgent amendment to the Covid-19 law, which parliament is advising in the March session. The committee’s decision on Friday was made at the request of SVP National Councilor Albert Rösti. The SVP, the FDP and the majority of the centre’s representatives on the commission approved it.

If approved by Parliament, the Federal Council would lose important powers in the fight against pandemics. Because openings must come into force regardless of the epidemiological situation. And if it deteriorated, the state government could not quickly reverse it by ordinance. The law passed by parliament takes precedence.

The changes would not only weaken the state government

The revolt of the national council health politicians against the leadership role of the executive is badly received by the highest director of health, the government councilor Lukas Engelberger (center / BS, president of the directors of health (GDK). He says:

The change would not only weaken the Federal Council. “We cantons would also be very challenged if the opening measures were implemented by law at the federal level.”

If the hands of the state government were tied, it would be up to the cantons to take the necessary steps in health emergencies: “But that is much more complicated and takes more time than a national solution.” Engelberger’s judgment on the decision of the National Council Health Commission: “That is very reckless.”

Pressure for a faster pace

The Federal Council presented its opening strategy last Wednesday and sent it for consultation. The cantonal governments had to send their responses to the GDK on Sunday evening. It will send a “consolidated statement” to the Federal Council on Monday. Engelberger has yet to comment on the content. The consultation process was not influenced by the progress of the health commission:

Some of the responses to the cantonal consultation have already been published. There have been many critical comments about the Federal Council’s plans. Many cantonal governments, regardless of political affiliation, are pushing at a faster rate. The Red and Green dominated Vaudois State Council wants restaurants to be able to serve guests again during the day from March 15. The bourgeois governments of eastern Switzerland are calling for open-air restaurants to be opened before March 1. Many cantons are also opposed to respecting the five-person limit for private indoor events.

“It is important not to bet what has been achieved”

But there is no fundamental opposition to the fundamental thrust of the Federal Council’s opening strategy. The step-by-step approach of the first steps, based on the epidemiological situation, is generally welcome. For example, in the response to the query from the strong middle-class government of Aargau, in which Senior Vice President Jean-Pierre Gallati is the director of health, it is important not to bet on what has been achieved and thus avoid an I-effect. me. “A nationally consistent, risk-based approach to relaxation is correct.

In the Sunday newspaper “SonntagsZeitung”, the leader of the center parliamentary group Andrea Gmür distanced himself from the disempowerment of the Federal Council, supported by some fellow party members. This worsens the chances of a majority in parliament. This is of little concern to the SVP National Councilor Albert Rösti, who submitted the application. It is important that the discussion has started now:

If it does, it will be shown on Wednesday, when the Federal Council decides the opening strategy. (aargauerzeitung.ch)