Protection measures tighten – Federal Council is concerned and puts pressure on cantons – News



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  • Federal Councilor Alain Berset has expressed concern about the epidemiological developments in recent days.
  • The curve for new cases has flattened, but is at a high level. The health system remains under pressure.
  • The Federal Council puts pressure on the cantons and threatens to intervene. A third wave should be avoided at all costs.

“We are concerned about the fragile situation and we must act,” Health Minister Berset told the media in Bern. The healthcare system is still under pressure and the staff is on edge. That is not easy when it comes to Christmas days. “The Federal Council is doing everything possible to avoid exponential growth.”

According to Berset, the number of corona cases has been “stable at a high level” since early December. In almost ten cantons the reproduction value is once again above one. That is worrisome. Now is the last time to act. “Now we have to be careful.”

Measures threatened for individual cantons

The Federal Council does not wait for the situation to continue to deteriorate. You have to take countermeasures. The Federal Council also has the option of taking action for individual cantons.

Corona tourism in central Switzerland “not so bad”

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In recent weeks, numerous French-speaking Swiss cantons have poured into the less restrictive German-speaking Swiss cantons regarding crown measures. The Federal Council does not want to restrict these movements at the national level.

“Since 1848 there have been no strict borders between the cantons,” Alain Berset said smugly when asked by a journalist. Nor do you want it to happen again. The federal structures formed Switzerland. It is important that the cantons coordinate with each other, Berset said.

In none of the cantons should there be an R value greater than 1, Berset explained. “Otherwise, we will grow exponentially again.” However, in more and more cantons of German-speaking Switzerland, there are values ​​close to 1 or even higher. Berset explicitly named the cantons of Thurgau and St. Gallen.

The situation should not get worse on vacation

“Now is not the time to hesitate.” Next Tuesday, the Federal Council will take stock and take further action for the whole of Switzerland or for each canton at the ordinary meeting of the Federal Council on Friday, Berset said. This was clearly communicated to the cantons.

The special situation does not mean that the Federal Council is indifferent to the cantons. Some cantons acted too late. Now it is a matter of preventing the situation from deteriorating significantly at Christmas or New Years.

Parliamentary decisions influenced

Pressure from the bourgeoisie not to impose capacity limits has apparently worked. The Federal Council has taken the new measures of the Crown “of course with knowledge of the decisions of the Commission and Parliament,” also emphasized the director of EDI.

Measurements for holidays It is recommended that they meet in private and in restaurants to people of a maximum restrict two householdsPrivate meetings 10m² must be available per customer (today 4m²)For small shops (with up to 30m² of commercial space) 5m² per customerShopping in stores Compulsory collection of contact details in the restaurant nationwide RestaurantsEmployers are called when possible to enable home officeOutside the family circle and Singing is prohibited in schools (outdoors, indoors)additionalSource: Federal Council, December 4, 2020

“We have made some points,” Berset said. There are no general restrictions in ski areas. The Federal Council has also waived a binding limit on two homes for private gatherings.

Berset: “We are a sovereign country”

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Health Minister Alain Berset is not impressed by the critical statements made in neighboring countries about the crown’s policy in Switzerland. No pressure is applied. There are clear positions, but: “We are a sovereign country.” Switzerland is still in talks with neighboring countries, Berset said. “We found a way.”

The Federal Council knows more

Berset pointed out that the Federal Council has a knowledge advantage over other circles. “We evaluate the epidemiological situation daily.” A week ago, the situation was very different.

“We have to avoid a third wave and a lockdown at the end of January,” Berset said. The next 20 days are crucial for the entire course of the second wave.

The Federal Council has not yet been able to make a forecast for Christmas. “We had calculated that by Christmas we would be in about 1,000 cases. We are nowhere near that. “For the moment:” Try not to meet too many people from too many households. ”

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