[ad_1]
The state government is preparing a whole series of new corona measures. We say what that means in concrete terms. And what an explosive proposal from Viola Amherd was taboo to most of the Federal Council.
The situation in Switzerland is “bad”: Health Minister Alain Berset at Wednesday’s press conference.
Photo: Fabrice Coffrini (AFP)
Bars are closed, museums and cinemas are closed, culture has long since ceased to take place, and sports facilities are closed.
But that is not enough.
This is the conclusion the state government reached after its most recent crisis meeting. The only item on the agenda: the pandemic. The situation in Switzerland: “Bad,” said Health Minister Alain Berset later. The R: value goes up again. The highly contagious British mutation: introduced in Switzerland, albeit in small numbers, but with nearly full hospitals.
That is why the entire Federal Council has now authorized the Minister of Health to load the very large cannon against the corona virus. A series of even stricter measures would turn the partial lockdown, which has been in place in Switzerland since December 22, into a near-complete lockdown.
However, the state government is not yet ready to fire this cannon right away. The current database is not reliable enough for this, says Berset. Very little testing had been done during the holidays.
The government now expects to have more reliable figures within a week. And then the Federal Council wants to be ready to apply the additional measures immediately.
Until then, the government will present the new measures to the cantons for comment. That means: The state government wants the cantons to give it the license to close. But you still hope you don’t have to use it. Load the cannon just in case.
Amherd wants to discuss closing the school
A federal councilor wanted to go further than Berset: Viola Amherd also wanted to present to the cantons that schools should be closed again for consultation. The defense minister demanded it in a confidential report.
But Berset and the majority of the Federal Council opposed the national closure of schools. “We do not plan to close schools,” Berset clarified. Before that, all other conceivable measures will be exhausted. “Young people already pay a high price,” Berset said.
A senior adviser to a member of the Federal Council says closing schools only punishes children. Many of the families with less education could not have caught up with the spring education deficit.
However, the cantons must prepare to increase the protection of students or close schools altogether. “We have to be prepared for a situation like winter, where things can go very fast,” Berset said, referring to Britain, where the number of cases with the virus mutation has exploded and schools are closed again because of it.
That already applies from Saturday
However, the Federal Council has already definitively decided on a measure. It cancels an exemption, according to which cantons with a lower R-value can open restaurants, cultural and sports facilities. This exemption falls on Friday at midnight. This means: From then on, not a single normal pub will open in Switzerland, not even in the ski areas. The only exceptions are for dining rooms, takeaways and hotel restaurants (for guests only).
The new Federal Council resolutions are brutal for the restaurant industry. Because Berset has also found a majority for his proposal to extend the gastronomic blockade for five weeks, until February 28. Although the entire Federal Council continues to send this measure in consultation with the cantons, now it is only a formality, it is also said in the bourgeois departments.
What should come in a week?
The Federal Council announced on Wednesday only the rudimentary measures it is considering. The December Federal Council proposals bear witness to this.
-
Stores: All stores and markets will be closed, but orders will continue to be collected. Only stores that sell everyday items, such as groceries, need to remain open, even on Sundays. The federal government would define a list of products that could still be sold, the other shelves would be covered.
-
Private Events: Currently private events for up to ten people are allowed. According to the Federal Office of Public Health, one option would be to limit this to five. That would correspond to the rules of the first wave.
-
Meetings in public spaces: Currently, meetings are allowed in public spaces with a maximum of fifteen people. The Federal Council could reduce this limit to five people.
-
Home Office: So far only one recommendation applies. The obligation to work from home has so far been controversial in the Federal Council because bourgeois representatives doubt the effect, but fear the high costs to the economy. Specifically: compensation to employees for office costs, printer cartridges and the like.
-
People at particular risk: people in risk groups received the same protection as in the first wave; including the right to work from home, in exceptional cases more protection at work or paid holidays.
It is not clear what criteria the Federal Council will use to decide whether these adjustments will be necessary. Then Berset evasively answered the questions: “There is always a set of pointers to help us find the right path.” The Federal Council had established three threshold values for the holiday season, based on the infection factor, R-value, and intensive care unit occupancy. However, it has since abandoned such a fixed set of rules to remain more flexible, as Federal Council circles call it.
And the compensation?
For the moment, all companies whose business has been banned must be content with warm words. Berset acknowledged that both gastronomy and cultural, sports and leisure providers “pay a very high price.” And he also admitted that with the extension of the measures, his situation worsened again. But the Federal Council will take until next week to discuss more financial aid.
So there should hardly be anything new to discuss: According to the finance department, access to benefits will only be simplified for existing hardship. This is causing displeasure among the Federal Council, sometimes also in the bourgeois departments.
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer and Finance Minister Guy Parmelin are suspected of delaying financial aid for ideological reasons. The two senior vice president federal councilors did not want to spend additional federal money. And by not solving the compensation problem, they raised the bar for further action against the pandemic.
