The financing and organization of the corona tests are regulated in the Covid 19 law – but only until the end of the year. The Federal Council wants to expand the legal basis for the tests and other measures. He had asked that from 2023 the cantons should bear these costs and no longer the federal government.
The cantons oppose this in the consultations. On Monday, the National Council decided on a way to exit, which was also accepted by Health Minister Alain Berset (50): the testing regime should continue until the end of March next year, but will then be completely abolished.
The Council of States should now follow suit
The Council rejected a minority motion by the Greens to uphold the original decision and let the federal government pay for the tests until the end of June 2024. The SVP and FDP, who wanted to settle the dispute with the Council of States and no longer wanted to bear the test costs in the new year, were also defeated.
The Council of States decided a week ago that from 2023 the federal government would only pay for the tests in a special situation in accordance with the Epidemics Act, but not in the normal situation that is now in force. He made this decision at the request of a minority and against the strong recommendation of Health Secretary Berset. Now it’s the small room’s turn again.
Time is running out
The template must be cleaned up in the current session and then made urgent. It must already take effect on 1 January 2023 and apply until mid-2024, so that measures can be taken to combat the corona virus in the current and coming winter, if necessary. (SDA)