Published
A Solothurn couple believes that their ex-neighbors molested them because they went to feed the horses despite the quarantine. Police occasionally register reports from the neighborhood.
“We had to leave the house twice a day to feed the horses,” says K., who at the time lived with his girlfriend in a farmhouse on the edge of the forest in Aetingen SO.
Private
The Solothurn couple has to pay 300 francs or serve three days of imprisonment because they disregarded the quarantine ordered.
Private
The police caught YK * and his girlfriend while they were interrupting their quarantine to feed the horses.
For K. it is certain that her former neighbor has filed a complaint.
Canton police now and then register reports from citizens against alleged quarantine breakers, for example in the neighborhood.
“Private surveillance during quarantine is a threat to society and threatens to increase,” says SP National Councilor Franziska Roth.
YK * and his girlfriend JL * received a fine of 300 francs each or, alternatively, a three-day prison sentence. The reason for this is that the couple did not report to the authorities after returning from Portugal in February 2021 and disregarded the ordered quarantine (see box).
“We had to leave the house twice a day to feed the horses and go for a walk with our two dogs,” says K., who lived with L. at the time in a farmhouse on the edge of the forest in Aetingen SO. The couple therefore took a forest path in the morning and evening to the horse stable in Kyburg-Buchegg, around 20 minutes away. “When we were feeding the horses on the fourth day of our quarantine, the police drove up and informed us that we were violating the quarantine obligation,” says the 28-year-old gardener.
“Horses would have starved to death”
The couple objected twice to the conviction. “We are not corona deniers, but want a proportionate approach to the measures,” says K. She violated the reporting obligation out of ignorance, but the quarantine obligation out of necessity. «We are committed to the welfare of our animals. If we had left them alone for ten days because of our quarantine, we would have had the animal welfare on our necks because the horses would have starved to death. “
They hadn’t found any care for the animals by the time they returned home, claims K. “I have no contact with my parents and my girlfriend’s parents were both in the hospital at the time.” Asked acquaintances would not have had time, as they ran their own farms.
“Was the only person who could watch us”
For K. it is certain that her former landlady and neighbor, who lives in the other half of the farmhouse, has filed a complaint. “She was the only person who could watch us and also knew where our horses are.” Presumably she wanted to crush him and his girlfriend because of disagreements. “When we came back from Portugal, she asked us not to quarantine in her house, which we refused,” he claims. However, the landlord concerned rejects the suspicion upon request of 20 minutes.
“Unhealthy level of control”
The Solothurn SP National Councilor Franziska Roth criticizes the surveillance of people in quarantine. It is clear that the measures must be observed in principle. “But in this case, private surveillance has taken an unhealthy level.” She can understand that people in quarantine are more likely to break them than leave their animals to fate. She is also aware of a case in which a neighbor reported a young woman in isolation. “She was bothered by the fact that the young woman was gasping for fresh air on the balcony.”
The cantonal police in Aargau, Zurich and St. Gallen occasionally register complaints from citizens against alleged quarantine breakers, for example in the neighborhood. “In most cases, this is put into perspective when you know the whole situation,” says Aline Rey, media spokeswoman for Kapo Aargau.
“Know when it makes sense to advertise and when it is unfair”
The task force expects up to 20,000 new corona cases per day due to the highly contagious Omikron variant – the number of people in quarantine will therefore also be at a record high. “Private surveillance during quarantine is a threat to society and threatens to increase,” says Franziska Roth. That is why there is a need for educational work. “Neighbors need to know when it makes sense to report someone and when it is unfair.”
* Name known to the editor.
Healthy third parties who are neither in isolation nor in quarantine should lead dogs from a quarantine or isolation household on a leash. The FOPH provides for “short fresh air episodes” only for children who have no contact with people outside the family. No official information is available about possible exceptions to strict compliance with the quarantine. The cantonal contact tracings are responsible for this. “It is possible that different solutions can be found in individual cases that are justifiable,” says Michel Hassler, media spokesman for the Aargau health department. “Whether it is your own garden or a community garden certainly makes a difference in terms of the possibility of avoiding contact.”
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