Feds Approve Financial Aid Increase; Tennis Club Move Stokes Covid Controversy; Disease Expert: No Vaccine, No Travel

News For 23 November 2020

Late last week, the Swiss federal government in Bern approved an increase in financial aid to businesses struggling economically with Covid related measures.  The promised funds of 1 billion Swiss Francs are a 600 million increase from an earlier commitment of 400 million Francs.  Roughly 2/3 of the total funds are meant to be financed by the federal government, with the balance coming from Cantonal tax receipts backstopped by the federal government.  The bulk of the funds are meant to support the travel, entertainment and events industries with 175 million specifically earmarked for professional and semi-professional sports organizations.  The support, of course, comes with some strings attached: recipient organizations are required to limit their annual salaries to CHF 150,000.  In addition, the government will simultaneously implement criminalization of mask rules, allowing authorities to assess fines for those breaking the rules.

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Basel-Stadt went into partial lockdown shutting down restaurants and sports halls this past Monday. Several sport venues, notably the Old Boys Tennis Club, the institution where Roger Federer trained and is still an honorary member, have decided to move their location a kilometre and a half away from their regular location to Basel-Land where tennis gatherings are still allowed. The Basel-Stadt government is outraged by the move by the influential club, stating that the club is negating measures meant to curb the virus. However the government has no legal basis for intervention. The club's members have also criticised the move, stating that people’s lives are more important than playing a game of tennis. 

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As the buzz builds around a Coronavirus vaccine continues to build, with no less than three pharmaceutical companies now announcing successful trials, the attention has turned to mass vaccinations.  As we discussed last week, not everyone is thrilled with the prospect of being vaccinated once available.  Recent Swiss surveys indicate that almost 30% of the population would refuse vaccinations.  Furthermore, the Swiss federal government has already stated that it does not have the power to compel individuals to get vaccinations.  An influential infectious disease expert, Andreas Widmer, has presented a novel idea in an article with the SonntagsZeitung last weekend.  His proposal: incentivize people by only allowing air, ship or bus travel for those vaccinated.  No word yet on a government response to the proposal or how it would be implemented.