Swiss Health Minister Alain Bersett is in an awkward position. With nearly two-thirds of the population fully vaccinated, Switzerland has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe. Covid-19 infections are increasing exponentially, with the number of cases increasing by 40 to 50% every week.
So is the health minister planning new restrictions like neighboring Germany or even mandatory vaccination like Austria? Not a few of him. Switzerland voted on Sunday to completely lift some of its Covid restrictions.
Since the pandemic’s start, the Swiss government has struck a delicate balancing act by trying to contain the spread of Covid while remaining true to Switzerland’s system of direct democracy.
Where the government has little formal power, and the people have the final say.
The blockade in Switzerland has never been as severe as in their neighbors. People were allowed to practice whenever they wanted, and schools were only closed for a few weeks. But last summer, when cases fell drastically, there was no “free leave” in Switzerland, according to the British model.
Instead, a Covid certificate is introduced with proof of vaccination, negative test, or immunity due to the presence of the virus. In addition, in September, admission to bars, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, museums, sporting events, and university face-to-face courses becomes mandatory.
Vaccination has been a sensitive issue here for a long time, especially in German-speaking Switzerland. The belief that natural immunity is best led to a decline in childhood measles vaccinations, which has led to an increase in measles cases across Europe.
Historical pride in their independence, which some belief has its roots in a time when mountain villages were cut off from the world every winter, led to resistance in Alpine communities against the responsible government.