For Nuria Gorrite, the election year does not start under the best of stars. On New Year’s Day it was announced that the Vaudois head of government will be in isolation until January 6th due to a positive Covid test. It is therefore clear: due to the 10-day isolation that was still in effect at the time, the first symptoms must have appeared on December 28th.
Explosive: Pictures that are available show the social democrat Gorrite in a Valais restaurant at a party. They were recorded on December 29th. According to calculations by the canton doctor in Vaud, the politician was already symptomatic when she spent the evening with six friends. Although she did not yet know anything about her corona infection, she felt a “slight tingling sensation in her throat” (see below).
The head of government of the largest canton in western Switzerland is causing a stir. Has she gone to a public facility with Covid symptoms?
“They stood and had no mask on”
Several pictures show how the Vaudois head of government moved in the restaurant without a mask. This violates the applicable rules, because the mask can only be removed while sitting.
The restaurant’s staff confirmed on request: “The group stood in the entrance area and waited to be escorted to their table. The whole group of Mrs. Gorrite did not wear a mask. “
Waiter surprised by her résumé
The group of the Vaudois head of government is also said to have violated the rules of propriety. Several guests have complained to the restaurant staff about the behavior of the State Councilor and her dinner companions. “They obviously had a lot to drink, just shouted around and disrupted the whole restaurant,” complains one of the people in charge. Although the staff pray for decency several times, nothing changes.
The local employees had no knowledge of Nuria Gorrite’s public function. “We are mostly French and, sorry if I say so, but we are not very interested in Swiss politics,” admits the manager. She was all the more surprised when she found out that it was the head of government of the largest canton in western Switzerland.
The minister apologizes
When asked by Blick, Nuria Gorrite said that after the certificate had been checked, her group had been asked to wait for a drink at the bar. She confirms that she consumed briefly while standing and without a mask. “At that moment I didn’t realize that I was breaking the rules. At a time when the authorities are asking everyone to abide by the regulations, I regret my mistake and would like to apologize for it. “
Regarding their behavior in the bar, Gorrite says that they “spoke loudly, laughed and even sang twice”. “Like everyone after a two-year pandemic, I need a little lightness again. Celebrating with friends helps me ». The Social Democrat admits that her decibel level was “high”, but blames this on her fun-loving character.
“I did five negative self-tests”
And your corona infection? Gorrite says she was fully vaccinated and received her booster on December 16. «To protect my environment, I carried out five self-tests during my stay in Crans-Montana between December 25th and December 31st. I felt very good throughout this period. The results were all negative by December 31st. On that day, the self-test was positive. “
After the positive result, Gorrite immediately contacted the Cantonal Medical Office in Vaud and carried out a PCR test at the same time. When this was also positive, she immediately drove home and went into isolation. “For the sake of transparency, I sent a press release on January 1st.”
In a conversation with the Cantonal Medical Office in Vaud, the latter tried to specify the start of the infection. “The canton doctor suspects that a very slight tingling sensation that I felt in my throat around December 28th could be seen as the first symptom in retrospect.” Therefore, the end date of the isolation was set for January 6th – 10 days after December 28th.
The State Councilor notes that the slight tingling sensation due to her “perfect physical condition” and the negative self-tests did not appear to be a Covid symptom at this point in time. “It was only during the discussion with the canton doctor that the hypothesis came up with the tingling sensation as a Covid symptom.”
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