Simonetta Sommaruga, who holds the rotating Swiss Presidency for 2020, has written an open letter to the country, calling for all people to work together to counter the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. Sommaruga acknowledged that people’s lives have been restricted by a series of extraordinary measures enforced by the government in recent weeks under the powers of the Epidemics Acts. These include a ban on gatherings of more than five people (including CHF100 fines for those who do not abide by the rule) and the shut down of non-essential shops and services. “These rules are important. Because they save lives. That is why we absolutely must comply with them. If the virus spreads too quickly, intensive care units in our hospitals will be overloaded. The consequences could be devastating. Now it all comes down to us,” she said. Sommaruga urged people aged over-65 to stay at home and for everyone to avoid unnecessary contact with others. The authorities are working to help the ...
