By Sophia Lashmar and Camila Prenti Fernández, Year 9
The big question on everyone’s minds: ‘Should we be going out since restrictions are lifted?’ One can see that this is a controversial topic given the current situation. For instance, not going out has a huge impact on the economy. poverty has increased worldwide. However, at the moment, Worldometers.Info states that there are around 51,00 active Covid-19 cases in Switzerland.
Firstly, going out is a good thing: as more and more people are being vaccinated, it would improve mental health, offer an opportunity to socialise, and would help support our local shops, cafés and restaurants, reviving the economy in the process. When Switzerland went into lockdown last March, we struggled with the confinement and being cooped up inside all day, chained to our laptops. Not being able to go out took a toll on our mental health, whether we realised it or not. For example, meeting up with friends and family in parks, on café terraces, or in our gardens would definitely help us to socialise once more, and rebuild our mental health. In addition, getting together outdoors: having a picnic, going to an accrobranche park, or being out in nature in general, could not only have a positive impact on our mental and physical health.
Today, there is significantly less risk involved in going out, and the cantonal government seems to agree. So again, why shouldn’t we? If we stay outdoors, keep masks on when possible, and practice social distancing on terraces, what is the issue? In addition, after our shops and restaurants have been closed to the public for so long, and have suffered because of the pandemic, it is our priority to help revive the economy by sustaining our local businesses.
On the other hand, why should we be going out if the virus is still spreading? There are still new cases being reported every day, and the death toll continues to climb; this is not the time to be selfish, but to think of others and how we can help them. If anything, we should be more careful now that cases are going down so they don’t go up again. One way to help restaurants and cafés get back on their feet is getting takeaway, a fast-growing trend since the beginning of the pandemic and remember that the option of online shopping is available from even small, local boutiques and businesses. Eventually we will be able to safely dine-in at a restaurant, or go shopping for hours, but for now we should wait and take steps with precaution.
Like any topic surrounding COVID, there is no easy answer. However, we believe that we should be going out but we ought to still proceed with caution. We must follow the cantonal guidelines, and stay safe, while simultaneously enjoying the respite.
