Covid-19: Switzerland has not yet found the right balance, admits president

From Monday, those travelling on public transport are obliged to wear a face mask. Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott

The sharp rise in Covid-19 infections in recent days shows that Switzerland has not yet found the right balance between deconfinement and caution, said Simonetta Sommaruga.

In an interview published in the SonntagsBlick news outlet on Sunday, the politician said she has always sought the right compromise.

“We have a lot of freedom in the current situation. But the virus is still there,” Sommaruga said. This is why the governing Federal Council reacted by mandating the compulsory wearing of masks on public transport and compulsory quarantine for travellers coming from risk areas, she added. “We must remain cautious”.

According to her, it was also crucial that the Federal Council handled the crisis with discernment, was able to learn and was open to adjustments. She stated that, on the whole, Switzerland has done a lot of things right during the crisis.

Criticism

The president admitted that the requirement to wear a mask could have been introduced earlier. “But we wanted to see how the situation would develop and we intervened where necessary.”

On the other hand, Sommaruga rejected criticism from scientists that Switzerland had lifted the Covid-19 restrictions too quickly. Many of them are still in force, such as, for example, for major events, she pointed out.

If these rules are not respected, the cantons must take action, she insisted.

“We have deconfined ourselves. But that doesn’t mean that everyone can do what they want now. Precautionary measures continue to apply, supplemented by the compulsory wearing of masks and quarantine”.