-
AFP
![On Wednesday the Federal Council decided to relax the requirements for hardship assistance. Finance Minister Ueli Maurer expects 100,000 requests.]()
—
1/7
On Wednesday the Federal Council decided to relax the requirements for hardship assistance. Finance Minister Ueli Maurer expects 100,000 requests.
—-
imago images/BildFunkMV
![The aim is to help the restaurants, but also the shops that will be closed from next week.]()
—
2/7
The aim is to help the restaurants, but also the shops that will be closed from next week.
—-
Keystone
![The cantons are responsible for implementation. Bern suspended its hardship program following the Federal Council decision.]()
—
3/7
The cantons are responsible for implementation. Bern suspended its hardship program following the Federal Council decision.
—-
Keystone
![Despite the currently falling corona numbers, Health Director Pierre Alain Schnegg wants to test even more intensively in view of the new virus variants.]()
—
7/7
Despite the currently falling corona numbers, Health Director Pierre Alain Schnegg wants to test even more intensively in view of the new virus variants.
—-
—-
The corona situation in the canton of Bern remains serious. Due to mutated virus strains, there is a risk of an explosion in the number of cases in the coming weeks, SVP health director and district president Pierre Alain Schnegg (58) made it clear to the media on Friday.
–
Despite the currently falling corona numbers, the canton of Bern wants to test even more intensively. A first mass test took place after the Christmas holidays in the Bernese Jura. The tests were carried out on a voluntary basis in the vocational school in St. Imier. Students from various care professions were tested – this in order to protect people in social and health facilities from the virus.
–
“There is an intensive search for contact persons”
The first test ended on Thursday. None of the 184 participating learners tested positive. The participation rate was 63 percent. The second test will take place from January 18th.
–
Canton doctor Linda Nartey added 76 cases with mutated virus strains across the canton. The biggest hotspot is the Wengen winter sports resort. The infections are attributed to a British tourist who did not adhere to the entry quarantine. “There is an intensive search for contact persons,” says Nartey. As well as for contacts from contacts who should also go into quarantine.
–
video-wrapper video-wrapper--inline">
1.4 million people by summer: Zurich changes vaccination strategy(01:08)
—
«Concept for the drawer»
SP Economic Director Christoph Ammann (52) welcomed the loosening and simplification of the Covid hardship case decided by the federal government. However, the rules were changed while the game was running.
–
The canton has therefore produced its own hardship concept “for the drawer”, according to Ammann. This means that the canton of Bern had to restart its hardship program since Wednesday. This has happened and the amended regulation will come into force on Monday.
–
However, this also means that applications submitted since the beginning of January cannot be processed. The companies concerned must therefore submit an application again. But he assures that it will be easier this time, said Ammann.
–
After the Federal Council’s decisions, the canton of Bern suspended its original program of measures on Wednesday. The new program will now start as soon as possible. Applications can be submitted from January 25th, as Ammann explained. You should be treated within ten days.
–
Companies that have been officially closed for at least 40 calendar days since the beginning of November 2020 are now automatically considered cases of hardship. The canton does not provide evidence of the threat to its existence, but reserves the right to reclaim contributions retrospectively if there is excess coverage.
–
Clear expectations towards the federal government
How quickly the digital solution for registering applications can be adapted is still open, according to Ammann. The Bern government expects around 6,000 hardship applications.
–
At the moment, it is not foreseeable how far the available credit line will be sufficient to support all eligible companies, according to Ammann. He assumes that the budgeted funds will hardly be enough.
–
The government therefore emphasizes that the Federal Council will make the reserves of CHF 750 million approved by the Federal Parliament available in full to the cantons without them having to co-finance the additional tranche. “That clearly corresponds to the expectations of the cantons,” emphasized Ammann.
—
Published: January 15, 2021, 1:02 p.m.-Last updated: January 15, 2021, 4:10 pm–Related
—
—
—
—
