Alain Berset believes that he did not question science enough at the start of the pandemic (archives). KEYSTONE / ANTHONY ANEX sda-ats
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–This content was published on May 21, 2021 – 02:48
(Keystone-ATS)
Swiss Minister of Health Alain Berset admitted Thursday evening to have made mistakes in the fight against the coronavirus. “I didn’t question the science enough at the start,” he said on SRF on the “Gredig direkt” program.
It was “very comfortable” for the Federal Council to simply listen to the advice of science at the start of the pandemic and implement it, he added. “This led us to claim that masks could even be harmful.”
Many scientific experts believed that the population could not be expected to use sanitary masks correctly and that their incorrect handling could be harmful, continues the 49-year-old federal councilor. “Looking back, I must say that I should have asked myself more questions.”
Best vaccines in Switzerland
However, he rejects the claim that wearing the mask was discouraged because there were too few available. “If the government had been convinced at the time that the masks would be useful, we should simply have done with the material available.”
On the other hand, the Friborg socialist welcomes the decisions taken in the context of vaccination. The best vaccines against Covid-19 are used in Switzerland, he notes. Only messenger RNA vaccines are being administered, he adds, noting that very few countries are able to do so by the summer.
Mr Berset also noted that the crisis has strengthened the team spirit within the Federal Council. However, the situation has at times been “physically very brutal” for all ministers. After the initial shock, the socialist was “really exhausted” between the end of April and mid-May 2020. But luckily, he says, despite the heavy pressure, he was still able to sleep well.
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