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Switzerland and the coronavirus: 10 news this weekend
Switzerland is in the second crown wave. A summary of the most important news of this weekend.
Vigil in Bern
The death toll continues to rise in Switzerland. On Friday alone, the federal government reported 111 new deaths. Meanwhile, 3,575 people have died from the new corona virus in Switzerland. On Friday, activists put so many candles on Bundesplatzto commemorate these people.
>>> Coronavirus: All the news in the live ticker
Laughter Show
Around 1,000 people demonstrated Saturday afternoon in Lachen SZ at an approved rally against the tightening of the crown’s measures. Despite repeated requests, the majority of protesters no mask required.
The Schwyz canton police announced this on Saturday night.. The demonstration was organized by an “Action Alliance for the Original Cantons for Sensible Crown Policy.” Among the speakers were the Schwyzers National Councilor SVP Pirmin Schwander and the satirist Andreas Thiel.
The Schwyz canton police wrote that the peaceful demonstration ended after about two hours. The police stood in the background and, for reasons of proportionality, waived the obligation to wear a mask. There were also many families with children among the participants. The organizers would be reported to the responsible prosecutor, the canton police write.
Laughing candles were also lit: people are demonstrating against the Crown’s measures. Image: keystone
BAG director sees a change
The director of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), Anne Lévy, sees improvements in the coronavirus situation in Switzerland. “It seems like a turnaround,” he said in an interview with SonntagsBlick.
“I am sure that we are currently heading in the right direction”, She continued. Lévy denies that Switzerland was insufficiently prepared for the second wave of coronavirus. But he admits that no one expected the numbers to rise so quickly. “No matter how well you prepare, in the end you are not ready for everything,” he explained.
When asked about the high death rate in Switzerland, Lévy said: “We are not in a significantly worse position than other European countries.”
BAG director Anne Lévy. Image: keystone
French-speaking Switzerland reduces numbers faster than German-speaking Switzerland
According to a report by “NZZ am Sonntag”, French-speaking Switzerland is reducing coronavirus numbers faster than German Switzerland. The newspaper is based on new figures that can be found on the website of the federal scientific working group.
Consequently, the number of reproductions is lower in Switzerland in Geneva, Jura, Friborg and Valais., It was said. Then the other cantons of western Switzerland would follow. This key figure shows how many people a sick person infects on average. The data showed that the measures taken had the desired effect: At the end of October, public services such as cinemas, theaters and fitness centers were closed in French-speaking Switzerland and restaurants had to close shortly after.
SVP wants to abolish the working group
According to reports from “SonntagsZeitung” and “SonntagsBlick”, the senior vice president would like to abolish the federal scientific working group.
The Toggenburgers SVP National Councilor Esther Friedli that’s why he dared the frontal attack this week. At the Economic Commission, he asked to abolish the advisory group or at least change its mandate. “The communicative cacophony of the working group generates great uncertainty in the population and the economy and is shameful”Friedli told the Sunday newspaper. Try to make sure the experts don’t have to take responsibility for their statements.
“I come from the hospitality industry and experience the consequences of contradictory statements closely,” he explained in the “SonntagsBlick.” Scientists and experts give their opinion anyway. They can do that too. But not in the official name of a working group that is supposed to advise the government but has no responsibility, ”he said. Friedli’s request was rejected in committee. – But she is considering adding momentum in the December session, she said.
Attack on the working group: SVP National Councilor Esther Friedli. Image: keystone
The fire department helps the undertakers
In Geneva, according to a report by “SonntagsBlick”, firefighters are helping due to the numerous deaths from coronavirus among gravediggers. Compared to the average of previous years, the number of people who died this November has doubled “Christina Kitsos, a Geneva city councilor, told the newspaper.
Therefore, firefighters have been helping funeral homes for a few days.. According to the information, they drive the hearse and help load the bodies onto the stretchers. “Other municipal employees can also help with the funeral service, such as gardeners to transport the caskets,” said Councilman Kitsos.
COVID WHO special envoy criticizes Swiss crown strategy
David Nabarro, WHO’s special envoy in the fight against Covid-19, takes Switzerland’s crown strategy seriously. In view of the “extremely serious situation”, the measures are too half-hearted. Like Europe, the country slept in summer.
Authorities lost the construction of the necessary infrastructure in the summer months after controlling the first wave, Nabarro said in an interview with the newspaper CH Media on Saturday. The result is the second wave. If you don’t act now, you will have the third wave in early 2021.
>>> You can find the full interview here
Bad preparation
The French-speaking Swiss newspaper “Le Matin Dimanche” has an idea of the Coronavirus Task Force Records received from the federal government and quoted from it, that Switzerland had prepared poorly for a possible second wave of coronavirus in the summer.
The federal government reacted too hesitantly, he said. Lack of political support meant no further restrictions were imposedand reliable data on the dynamics of the epidemic were lacking. Encouraged by the small number of new Covid-19 cases that had been recorded in early June, the federal government again allowed outdoor gatherings with more than 30 people and demonstrations with fewer than 1,000 people on June 22. , said. From that moment on, the coronavirus again gained ground, the newspaper continues.
Maurer defends the Swiss strategy
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer is behind Switzerland’s comparatively liberal approach to the corona virus. It is not known whether the many deaths could have been prevented by an earlier Federal Council intervention.
“We don’t know,” Maurer said Saturday in an interview with Radio SRF. «We weigh the interests of health, the economy and public life. “
Federal Councilor Maurer rejects allegations that Switzerland had overweight economic interests. «For me this way is correct »Maurer told Radio SRF. Maurer puts the fact that around 1000 people have died from the corona virus in the last 14 days. “Most are over 80 years old”. He believes that among the fifty years only 31 have died recently.
Start of the Zurich Christmas Market
Despite the corona pandemic, this weekend in Zurich at the Christmas market Hot wine drink. We were there:
Video: watson / Chantal Stäubli
(cma / sda)
