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Out of necessity, a nightclub owner opened a test center next to the club. The demand was huge – across Switzerland.
Long lines. Especially a lot of young people who are waiting. This image shaped the summer in the city of Bern. Author: Jan Kamarys. The owner of the nightclub Le Ciel opened a rapid test center next to his club so that the party crowd can be tested before the exit. The rush was huge, also from people who didn’t want to celebrate. Today Kamarys runs nine corona test centers in different cantons and has over 100 employees. But he does not earn a golden nose, but serves the community, says the Bernese in an interview.
SRF News: You came up with the idea of opening a test center right next to your club. Many have ideas, but you have also implemented them. What gave you the drive and the courage?
Jan Kamarys: For me that has nothing to do with courage. We had to do something to get the club up and running again. I had no other choice.
You now run nine test centers across Switzerland – surely you made good business there too?
It all started with the idea for your own club. Then the request came from other clubs, followed by sports clubs, festivals and we noticed that there was a lot of demand. It got bigger and bigger. At this point we thought: If there is such a great need, but no corresponding offer, we must of course create this offer.
So a business consideration?
An entrepreneurial consideration, yes, but also one based on the conviction that we can help many industries with it. I know how hard it is when people stop coming to the club because they can’t get tested.
Legend:
Testing before the party: The offer from Jan Kamarys from Bern met with great interest. There are regular long queues in front of his test center in Bern.
Keystone
There are actually many clubs that were grateful for the favorable test capacities. On the other hand, there were also critics who said you deserve a golden nose. How do you react to such allegations?
That bounces off me. Because what I do can be done by anyone in Switzerland. If someone says that I make too much money, then I think we should start somewhere else, for example at the top of the vaccine manufacturer. In our society, earnings are often an issue when it comes to someone who is “one of us” – a normal person, not a company. Then there are discussions. On the other hand, if a company makes a profit that is otherwise already making four billion profit – that is then far away and in a different sphere. I repeat myself: in principle, what I do, anyone can do. And so do many.
Basically, what I do can be done by anyone.
I have achieved a lot of good with my company. My personal belief is that each individual decides for himself or herself about a vaccination. There is no compulsory vaccination in Switzerland. And that’s why I’ve created a test offer here for those who need tests. The rules of the game are ultimately laid down by the Federal Office of Public Health.
Have you got used to your new life as a test center operator?
I’ve learned an incredible amount over the past year. It was a very exciting time. Personally, I still wish that testing will stop soon and that we can live normally again. As long as that is not possible, we want our company to help ensure that we can live as normally as possible despite the pandemic.
The interview was conducted by Martina Koch.