Switzerland: Open letter from Simonetta Sommaruga – Switzerland

Dear fellow citizens, dear fellow citizens,

Our lives changed overnight. Schools, cinemas and shops are closed, demonstrations are prohibited. The elderly and the sick stay at home. Many workers work from home. And at the office and on the street, we respect a distance of two meters. Meetings of more than five people, outside, are now prohibited.

These rules are important. Because they save lives. We absolutely must respect them. This is our only way to avoid contamination and slow the spread of the coronavirus. And that is what is now decisive.

If the virus spreads too quickly, the intensive care units in our hospitals will be overcrowded. The consequences can be devastating. From now on, we are all concerned.

In Switzerland, the number of victims is increasing and this affects us enormously. The Confederation, the cantons and the municipalities work day and night to find solutions. But as is often the case in our country: we need the support of the population.

Dear fellow citizens, we have an essential role to play. On behalf of the Federal Council, I appeal to your responsibility: Stay home if you are over 65 or if you are sick. Keep your distance from others. This is how you can help yourself. And this is how you protect others.

The authorities do not abandon the population. We care about businesses and jobs. The Federal Council helps companies, employees and the self-employed who are fighting for their lives. It ensures that salaries can be paid and that businesses get credit. More than 40 billion francs are now available, quickly and without bureaucracy.

A huge thank you!

Not everyone has the opportunity to stay home. We need caregivers, letter carriers, sales people, truck and bus drivers, our farmers and the military. All these people guarantee the supply of the country. They deserve our greatest respect and a huge thank you!

Switzerland has always stood out. When the situation requires, we are much more than 26 cantons and 8.5 million inhabitants. We are a country. And we are there for each other.

Your,
Simonetta Sommaruga
President of the Confederation (ats / nxp)

Created: 03/21.2020, 00:41

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