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“Protective masks are very ineffective when worn by the general population.” This was the opinion of the then head of the communicable diseases department at the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), Daniel Koch, on March 16, 2020.
On this day, the Federal Council declared the extraordinary situation and communicated the lockdown. At that time, neither the Federal Council nor the BAG wanted to know anything about a mask wearing obligation. It is not harmful if you wear protective masks. But they should be reserved for the nursing staff, since they were in short supply in hospitals and homes. “That’s why it’s still not recommended to wear these protective masks in public,” explained Koch.
In fact, the army pharmacy’s procurement of masks in the first phase of the pandemic was inadequate, as the National Council’s Control Committee (GPK) notes in its latest report. In addition, according to the GPK, Switzerland was insufficiently prepared for a pandemic in terms of protective material stocks.
2020: Suddenly masks are mandatory
It was only three months later, on June 19th, that masks were recommended on public transport, and they became mandatory on July 6th. However, the well-protecting hygiene or FFP2 masks were often not worn, but fabric masks. In addition, recommendations were made as to which faux pas should be avoided when using the mask.
On October 19, due to the increasing number of cases, the mask requirement was extended to all closed public interiors as well as train platforms, bus stops and airports.
2021: The mask becomes the norm
In mid-January 2021, the Federal Council imposed a second lockdown: the mask requirement applied wherever more than one person was in an interior space. The first easing followed in May – among other things, the obligation to wear a mask at the table in restaurants was lifted.
A month later, the obligation to wear masks outdoors was also abolished. But another wave followed with high numbers of cases. The Federal Council expanded the mask requirement again – and introduced it wherever the certificate requirement applied.
In addition, most cantons introduced a mask requirement in schools in December – in the cantons of Lucerne and Schwyz it applied from the 1st primary school.
2022: One of the last measures falls
The Corona measures remained in place at the beginning of 2022 – a mask requirement continued to apply in all indoor areas. In February, the Federal Council relaxed the measures despite the high number of cases.
The mask requirement in all publicly accessible facilities, in shops and inside areas of restaurants, at events and in the workplace was lifted on February 17th – except in public transport and in health facilities.
From Friday April 1st, the mask will be a thing of the past as one of the last measures in force.
What will become of the mask now?
But will it really disappear from our society? Katja Rost, sociologist at the University of Zurich, thinks that some people will continue to wear the mask for health reasons, on public transport or when there are large crowds.
However, Rost does not think that people in Switzerland could continue to wear the mask voluntarily, as is common in Asian countries when you have a cold: “I think that the cultural meaning is different for us – the mask wasn’t long for that enough there.”
In addition, we would have a different cultural approach to health and distance in public space, explains Rost.