The appeal to the Government: “Restrictive measures until 04 May”
Doctors, politicians and civic representatives write to the State Council calling for all measures to be maintained until 04 May.
“Thanks to the measures you introduced on 19 March - with the closure of all non-essential activities - and the commitment and sacrifice of the public, many lives have been saved in the Canton Ticino. The data is slowly starting to improve and we are all happy about that. But now begins a very delicate and extremely dangerous phase. It is essential, so that the public’s efforts are not in vain, to keep the bar high and not to loosen any of the measures introduced in our Canton”, the appeal states.
We know - they write - “that Ticino is, unfortunately, among the areas worst affected by Covid19. The recent Chinese experience indicates a 60-day lockdown as the efficient period: 30 days to flatten the curve, and minimise contagions and hospitalisations, and another 30 days to stabilise it.”
In Ticino we will have completed the first month on 19 April: “We ask that ALL the restrictive measures currently in force be maintained until the long weekend at the beginning of May, with a consequent progressive opening of economic activities from Monday 04 May.” “A relaxation before this date,“ they say, “could represent a potentially serious public health risk that we absolutely cannot afford to take.”
“It is the crucial moment, to make the last effort together, without giving in to the temptation of shortcuts. We ask you to devote these important weeks between now and the 01 May deadline to organise a series of accompanying measures to raise the level of security at the time of reopening.”
In many countries the use of masks, sample surveys with serological tests, the use of technological instruments, etc. have been proposed. “We ask you to draw up a plan that takes these and other proposals into account. In our opinion, it would also be appropriate to coordinate with Lombardy, so that we can have a process of openness that is as harmonious as possible,“ they add.
The signatories:
Flavio Acquistapace (GP), Antonio Barloggio (GP), Mauro Baranzini (University Professor), Marco Bazzi (Journalist), Augusto Bernasconi (GP), Danilo Bernasconi (GP), Ottavio Bernasconi (GP), Simone Bertoglio (GP), Boris Bignasca (Member of the Grand Council), Florian Bihl (GP), Loriana Bihl (GP), Sandro Bonetti (GP), Marco Borradori (Mayor of Lugano), Mario Branda (Mayor of Bellinzona), Nello Broggini (President of the Locarno Medical Society and vice president of the Medical Association), Pierpaolo Caldelari (Lawyer), Antonello Calderoni (GP), Claudio Camponavo (Medical director Ars Medica and president of the Lugano Medical Society), Lorenzo Cantarelli (GP), Fiorenzo Caranzano (GP), Nadia Casiraghi Chiesa (GP), Tiziano Cassina (Chief medical officer and head of intensive care Cardiocentro), Bruno Cereghetti (Former head of the DSS social security office), Sergio Cereghetti (GP), Andreas Cerny (Director Epatocentro Ticino), Marco Chiesa (Council of States), Alberto Chiesa (GP) Giuseppe Cotti (Locarno municipality), Silvio Crestani (President of the Mendrisio Medical Society), Stefanos Demertzis (Scientific director and head of heart surgery Cardiocentro), Franco Denti (President of the Medical Association), Roberta Nataly Foglia (GP), Lorenzo Franscini (GP), Cesare Fusetti (GP), Paolo Gaffurini (Vice President of the Medical Association), Renzo Galfetti (Lawyer), Giangiorgio Gargantini (Regional secretary UNIA), Simone Ghisla (GP), Nicola Ghisletta (GP), Rocco Grignoli (GP), Moreno Guidicelli (President of the Tre Valli Medical Society), Elena Intzes (GP), Lorenzo Jelmini (Deputy and trade unionist OCST), Vera Kessler Brondolo (GP), Frédéric Lelais (Anaesthetist and doctor at the Covid Hospital la Carità di Locarno), Franco Lazzarotto (former head of middle school Biasca), Andrea Leoni (journalist), Vincenzo Liguori (GP), Mario Magnocavallo (GP), Francesca Mainieri (GP), Nicola Melik (GP) Aldo Merlini (President Lago Maggiore Tourist Board), Amalia Mirante (Economist), Tiziano Moccetti (Founder Cardioentro), Mirko Molina (GP), Alberto Molto (GP), Ezio Montedoro (President of the Bellinzona Medical Society), Rupen Nacarouglu (Entrepreneur-Lugano Councillor), Pietro Nobile (GP), Augusto Pedrazzini (GP), Ricardo Pereira Mestre (GP), Giona Pifferi (Mayor of Vico Morcote), Maurizio Pintucci (GP), Maurizio Ponti (GP), Cristiana Quattropani (GP), Fabrizio Ramsauer (GP), Enrico Rossini (Entrepreneur), Matteo Regusci (GP), Damiano Salmina (GP), Verena Sattinger (GP), Filippo Scacchi (GP), Alain Scherrer (Mayor of Locarno), Lyana Sorgesa (GP), Dany Stauffacher (Gourmet), Ivan Tami (GP), Danilo Togninalli (GP), Francesco Volonté (Chief medical officer Clinica Sant’Anna), Vesna Wolfensberger (GP), René Wullimann (GP), Franco Ziliotti (GP)