13 infected people in the canton

The Federal Council has tightened the measures for combating the corona virus. The Government Council in Zug supports the decisions and aims to implement the measures consistently.

It is hoped that the measures applied by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) on Friday will further slow the rate of spread of the corona virus. The ban on events is thereby being expanded - events for 100 or more people are prohibited until April 30 - and school lessons with personal contact are suspended. "The Canton of Zug supports the measures taken and is implementing them in accordance with the federal instructions," says Landammann and Education Director Stephan Schleiss at the media orientation.

As on-site school lessons with personal contact are suspended throughout Switzerland, students from all school levels in Zug will stay at home from Monday, 16^th March until the spring holidays, and receive distance learning in the meantime. Stephan Schleiss specifies:

“This is not a school holiday. Students will be taught at home. And the measure will only makes sense if the students really do stay home.”

The Landammann wants to clarify questions of emergency care and the closing of complementary childcare and day-care centres in a special session of the social leader conference (Sozialvorsteherkonferenz) of the communities in Zug on Saturday, March 14^th. These aspects were not included in the order from the Federal Council. Stephan Schleiss adds: "The schools have prepared for the distance-learning scenario." Excursions and other school trips are cancelled until the end of the school year, he adds.

Economic Director Silvia Thalmann-Gut, Health Director Martin Pfister, Landammann and Education Director Stephan Schleiss and Cantonal Doctor Rudolf Hauri provide information on the current situation (from left).

No more than 100 people, even in sports facilities
Events and meetings of 100 or more people are now prohibited. Sports facilities such as indoor swimming pools or fitness centres are also affected. The government also specified that the measure also applies to events that have already been reported to the canton. Restaurants, bars and discotheques may remain open, with a maximum of 50 people staying in them at the same time. Health director Martin Pfister appeals to everyone’s solidarity: “The measures will primarily affect healthy people. Because the spread of the virus can only be slowed down if everyone accepts the restrictions and supports the measures taken by the Federal Council.”

Smaller events with less than 100 people can still take place, although the organizers are required to take preventive measures. Here too, the health director strongly appeals to the personal responsibility of the organisers and participants. Pfister emphasizes: "Simple measures can make an effective contribution to containing the disease."

More men than women are infected
Cantonal doctor Rudolf Hauri made a general reference to compliance with the hygiene rule in this context. "Wash your hands regularly with soap and follow the two-metre rule," he repeats. In the meantime, the total number of infected people in the canton of Zug has increased to 13 (as of Friday evening, March 13). These are ten men and three women between the ages of 25 and 55. Hauri assures: “Everyone is doing well according to the circumstances. No one had to be hospitalised. They are all being monitored at home and we have been able to trace the infection back.”  In the meantime, 400 people have been tested in the canton of Zug and 25 are in quarantine.

The cantonal doctor emphasizes that the situation in the canton of Zug is stable from a medical point of view. The general practitioners and the hospital are under a heavy load, but the operation of the health services is running well. "Our hospitals in the canton are cooperating with each other – with regard to both materials and personnel," says Rudolf Hauri. We are also well supplied with the necessary materials, and, in general, a reserve will be built up in case the number of infections increases sharply. "We can no longer stop the virus, but the measures that have now been decided will give us time to make the best possible use of our resources," says Hauri, adding:

 "The goal is to slow the spread of the virus and protect those at risk."

Visits to nursing homes or hospitals are not yet prohibited in the canton of Zug, but the government of Zug advises against visits. Martin Pfister says that he will talk to the municipalities in order to find a uniform solution in the coming week.

Economic consequences
The economic challenges of the spread of the virus are also becoming increasingly apparent. Possible measures to mitigate economic consequences are being examined together with the other cantons under the leadership of the federal government. In the Canton of Zug, the Department of Economic Affairs has set up a working group, reinforced with representatives from the Finance Directorate, the Zuger Kantonalbank and the WWZ, which will continuously analyse the economic situation of Zug's companies. “The Zug economy is fundamentally well positioned from a financial point of view. Nevertheless, it must be assumed that some individual companies will be affected by the negative economic consequences caused by the Corona virus,” explains Economics Director Silvia Thalmann-Gut. Where necessary, the canton of Zug will advocate targeted measures to the federal government and, depending on further developments, will review any additional measures.