Swiss ‘don’t fear second lockdown’ 

People missed cultural events during the lockdown and generally accept the wearing of masks for limited periods when they are close together. Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Most Swiss are not worried about the need for a new national lockdown to combat the coronavirus, a survey has found. 

Nearly 70% said they did not fear this happening in the next six months, according to a survey of 15,342 people carried out at the end of September by the Tamedia publishing group. Respondents cited notably the economic and social consequences of a lockdown. 

Only a small minority would accept a new lockdown. Sixteen percent said it could be an option but only if the hospitals were full, and 8% said they would support it, because as many deaths should be avoided as possible.  

Asked what hurt the most during the spring lockdown, respondents put first giving up social activities such as visits to family and friends (30%), followed by the financial consequences (15%), giving up holidays and trips (9%) and sporting and/or cultural activities (7%). Fifteen percent said the situation had not bothered them. 

A majority of the Swiss population (53%) support the government’s anti-coronavirus measures and eight out of ten people support the compulsory wearing of masks on public transport. Sixty-seven percent are in favour of compulsory masks in all indoor public spaces. These findings are similar to those of another recent survey conducted for Migros magazine.  

However, only one in four people supports wearing a mask in the workplace. ” People are only in favour of compulsory masks where many people are close together for a short time, such as in public transport,” says political scientist Lucas Leemann, who co-led the Tamedia survey. “A compulsory mask in the office, where the mask would have to be worn for more than eight hours, might be seen as disproportionate or as too much interference in everyday life.”