Coronamassnahmen
The Zug liberals are calling for restaurants and shops to reopen from March 1st
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In view of the current situation, it is no longer responsible to keep restaurants and shops closed, says the Zug FDP. Health director Martin Pfister also joins the discussion. The pressure on the state government is increasing.
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As here in Restaurant Ege, restaurants are only allowed to offer take-away.
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The advertisement that the FDP has booked in the current issue of the “Sonntags-Zeitung” needs half a newspaper page. In an interview with Peter Jüni, who, as a Swiss citizen, heads the scientific Covid-19 task force of the Canadian province of Ontario and warns of a third corona wave in Switzerland, the Liberals demand: The Federal Council should “develop an exit strategy” and the corona measures as of 1. March loosen. “We all”, it says in the ad, “finally needed perspectives and the ability to plan in dealing with Corona.”
FDP does not want to feel anything from the mutations
17 FDP cantonal parties appear as the sender of the embassy, including all of the branches in central Switzerland, including the Zug FDP. In a press release, the Zug liberals write that it is no longer justifiable to “keep the economy closed”. The number of Covid-19 cases would decrease and with it the deaths and the number of people admitted to the hospital. So far, “nothing has been felt” about the virus mutations from England, Brazil and South Africa.
The FDP is therefore calling for restaurants, shops and cultural establishments to be gradually opened from March 1, if the epidemiological situation permits. In addition, the vaccination of particularly endangered people and the Zug health workers should be completed by the beginning of March. And finally, Health Minister Alain Berset (SP) has to ensure that the exchange of information between the federal government and the cantons runs better: The fact that the population should only be vaccinated in late autumn and not in summer is “unacceptable”.
FDP President: You want to be heard
When asked about the reason for the advertisement, the Zug FDP President Carina Brüngger says:
“We want to be heard, because it is time to look at the big picture again.”
Or in other words: criticism of Berset, pressure on Bern.
On the other side of the party-political spectrum in Zug, it sounds more cautious. When asked for her personal opinion, SP President Barbara Gysel said that an end to the lockdown would make sense as an economic policy goal, but not sustainable in terms of health policy:
“Many companies are up to their necks. And in addition to the wallet, the psyche also suffers. But there remains a trade-off between economic losses and the health of the population. “
Even with lockdown, the canton of Zug has the means to absorb the financial effects on the local economy; especially against the background of the record result for 2020, which the Zug government promised at the beginning of February. According to Gysel, it is crucial that the self-employed and company owners receive the hardship payments as quickly as possible.
The calls for the end of the lockdown are getting louder
The FDP is not alone with its high-profile demands, in the last few days and weeks the calls for easing have been louder. According to their own information, more than 244,000 people signed the “Lockdown Stop” petition by Monday afternoon, backed by the bourgeoisie around Leroy Bächtold, a young freeman from Zurich, and who are primarily calling for an end to the pub and shop closings.
At the end of January, the SVP was already shouting for restaurants and shops to be opened immediately. And it wasn’t until Sunday that Zug’s health director and mayor Martin Pfister (CVP), also in the “Sonntags-Zeitung”, spoke out in favor of easing the measures. Businesses should first be reopened and more than five people should be allowed in private meetings, provided the epidemiological situation allows. And: “We must not wait too long to relax.”
At the request of our newspaper, Pfister said that he would continue to stand behind his statements, but wanted to specify that an easing on March 1 would be too early. Pfister continues:
«It is essential to avoid going back and forth with the measures. The opening strategy should be planned as sustainably as possible, as this gives the sectors concerned the necessary planning security. “
In his opinion, it is up to the federal government to coordinate an opening strategy.
Whether and how much the rebellion will bring should become apparent after this Wednesday. Then the Federal Council wants to give the cantons a model for possible relaxation of measures in the consultation process. Specific announcements are expected on February 24th.
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