A referendum will take place on Lockdown measures, unfortunately this will only happen in June at the earliest so with the vaccine roll out well underway will likely be meaningless.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-t...tions/46286662

There's idiots everywhere.

What an absolute waste of time and money.

Not a swipe at lockdown per se - but I think it's important both for the public and for government ministers everywhere that the extent of their emergency powers is clarified.

It shouldn't be difficult to apply some kind of test that the lockdown measure is proportionate to the risk and is clearly supported by evidence or would be reasonably expected to be efficacious.

Switzerland seems to have done a decent job overall - but it seems there are governments with too much power (my own opinion is that the UK government has abused its power) and potentially those with to little (Sweden?)

I doubt this referendum helps anything to answer these questions though - it's not the right forum, and it's not a yes/no answer. After this is all over there will be a period of what was done right and what was done wrong. Evidently emergency action could never be taken through direct democracy. I know that myself as a director of a RTM company in the UK!

Think long-term, this is for the next one. Easy to see this referendum as useless, but people is thinking about CH a few decades down the road. It's quite positive that people worry about their country and people after their own death. I doubt the outcome may be the optimal one at the first iteration, but the motivation behind is good.

It is already clarified. We had a vote on the new Epidemiengesetz back in 2013 and it was brought into effect in 2016. The referendum passed with a 60% yes vote so not particularly marginal either.

All that is happening now is based on this law agreed to by a clear majority of those voting.

I don’t think lockdown will end in June, or anytime soon.

Hello,

I am looking for advice and to know where I stand legally re my employment.
I work as a nanny in Zurich, I live-in when on duty and I fly back to the UK when I am off. This arrangement has worked like a well oiled machine for almost 9yrs, until Corona.

After the initial lockdown in March, I was back and forth and very strict on following all the self isolating rules etc. I have spent more time in isolation than not over the last 5 months, but am happy to do so as I believe it is necessary.

My dilemma is now as follows:
If I fly to work (UK-CH) I will quarantine for 10 days, then work my shifts etc. Before I fly to the UK I need to have a negative covid test. If it is positive, I will not be allowed to board a plane home and I will be stuck in CH. If I were to deteriorate and got really sick, my family could not get to me as they are not Swiss, nor do they hold residency. To be honest, I am scared to be all on my own. My employers, who are well aware the UK is in lockdown, have just ask me if I would be happy to come to work. I have expressed my concerns about being stuck there and have asked what they think........they have not responded.
I have spoken to the Swiss Embassy in the UK and they have said that legally, I would be allowed to return to Switzerland as I hold a B permit, but that the UK is in lockdown and advise against "all but essential travel". I asked if going to work as a nanny was considered essential work and they replied with "that is for you and the family to decide".....
I know one cant just refuse to go to work. After working there for 9yrs, they know I don't skive off work as I love my job, but these circumstances are different. As a career nanny, we devote our lives to our families and are so loyal, but it just does not work that way in return, hence my worry.

Can they fire me? Where do I stand legally?
Any suggestions on how to proceed?
Thank you

If you were to get sick (which of course I hope you will not) a family member can obtain authorisation from SEM to enter Switzerland.

Either way, do you have to fly back and forth atm? The current situation will not last for ever.

Useless? More like dangerous.

It's bad enough the people voting for homeopathic sugar water to be paid for by some insurances but to have these same people decide on epidemics.

It's all very well us all being 'medics, virologists, and epidemiologists*' from the comfort of our keyboards but personally I'd rather a panel of experts decide what is needed in an emergency and have the clout to enforce those actions.

*I appreciate that some of the people on this forum are actually some of these things.

Ha Ha Ha, so true!


When do you predict?

Indeed, thinking about an end date is a recipe for self-caused disappointment. But everyone's different. I think this will last years. If I'm right, I'm mentally prepared for the ultramarathon. If I'm wrong, I just open the beer and celebrate.

You need to explain what is so important about making UK visits.

Most people in this forum work in Switzerland and have been unable to visit family in other countries for almost a year.

can you please explain mechanism, how virus stays at nose or throat w/o being able to reproduce longer then several hours?

because its a lot of fun for everyone

Stay in Switzerland. You have and always had permit B and not a permit G. Accordingly, your trips to the UK are just tourist trips and your main residency is in Switzerland.

The view of, VPOD and UNIA, two workers union, is that if you voluntarily travel to a country (speak the UK in your case) where you have to go into quarantine upon return it is solely your problem. No payment due.

https://vpod.ch/brennpunkte/coronavi...i-quarantaene/
https://www.unia.ch/de/arbeitswelt/von-a-z/coronavirus

He said "not being sick". This is actually a big problem with many STDs including HIV.

Because we still have 4 digit new cases and two digit deaths per day?
You hopefully also do not cut of your parachute off just because it has been deployed and reduced the speed of your fall.

It may be important to note that Manaus has been hit very hard by the first wave already. It was estimated that half the population or even more had been infected then, and hoped that that would provide natural protection in the coming waves (which is happening now). The infection rate data was derived from blood samples of blood donors, among which the covid antibody rate peaked above 40% (went back down later on, as should be expected).

Oh boy, were those hopes premature and unjustified

It doesn't bode well for us, either. And natural group immunisation as "strategy" (failure, actually) may well be out the window.

ETA:
Only 6% of the population are at risk age-wise, Brasil's population is very young. It's obvious what that means for us with 18% aged 65 or older.

Sweden today introduced tougher restrictions.

The new rules allow a maximum of eight people at private events in, for example, a party room, while indoor venues such as gyms, bathhouses, and shops will also have strict capacity limitations - the “one person per 10 square meters” rule.

Full lockdowns are still forbidden by Swedish laws.