Sweating without a mask - this is currently possible in the gym. But soon you might need a Covid certificate to enter the studio. At least when Lukas Engelberger has his way. The government councilor and president of the conference of cantonal health directors told the “Sonntags Blick” that he would consider extending the Covid certificate if the number of infections and hospitalizations continued to rise.
In addition to fitness studios, he sees a possible area of application for smaller events and sports events, in gastronomy, but also in hospitals and nursing homes. Representatives of the parties also comment on this at the request of SRF News.
SP and Greens: Check when hospitalizations increase
The SP national councilor Martina Munz is open to the proposal, because "we want to prevent the closure of the institutions at any price, so - should the hospitalizations increase - we have to consider a certificate requirement, because we also want to prevent the healthcare system from being overloaded". . At the moment, however, it is still too early to extend the certification requirement.
The Covid certificate should be used to prevent any closures. The St. Gallen Green National Councilor Franziska Ryser sees it similarly, an extension of the certificate requirement is worth examining in the event that the number of cases and, above all, hospitalizations should continue to increase. However, caution is advised, because "the obligation to obtain a certificate is not a means of pressure to increase the willingness to vaccinate, but should really serve to ensure that part of social life can continue".
SVP parliamentary group leader: "Think about canceling the certificate"
Thomas Aeschi, leader of the SVP faction, does not want to know anything about an extension of the certificate. There are different opinions on the Covid certificate in the SVP, but parliamentary group president Aeschi suspects a majority of the party behind him. «Federal Councilor Berset has always taken the position that if everyone who wanted to be vaccinated could get vaccinated, then the certificate should be dropped if possible. That is our opinion too. The use of the certificate should not be expanded any further, but on the contrary, it should be considered that the certificate should be revoked.»
The decisive factor is the bed capacity in the hospitals. Before deciding on restrictions again, the bed capacity should first be expanded, according to Aeschi.
Mitte and FDP: Actually prefer to vaccinate, but...
An extension of the Covid certificate to other areas is not currently in the foreground for FDP Vice President Andrea Caroni: “Now that everyone who wants to be vaccinated has been able to vaccinate, it needs fewer rather than more measures.” Additional measures might only be needed if the healthcare system were to attack. "But they should be targeted where people get infected, and for this distinction, the certificate would be needed."
Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger, member of the Central Council of States from Lucerne, is basically open to an extension of the certificate requirement, but "we can avoid it by having everyone vaccinated as quickly as possible to protect ourselves, but also everyone else."
The proposal to expand the Covid certificate should therefore be able to win a majority if the epidemiological situation should deteriorate sharply again.
