Poll position
The Local, an English language news site in Switzerland, reports the results of a reader poll, showing that four in five want to extend compulsory masks across Switzerland. Oh yes, indeed!
A poll of The Local Switzerland readers shows overwhelming support for expanding the compulsory mask requirement to shops, supermarkets and in the service industry across Switzerland. More than 80 percent of those who responded said the mask requirement should be extended.
Crikey! That's pretty compelling, no?
The poll drew the biggest response in the history of The Local Switzerland, with 142 respondents along with dozens more on social media.
Excuse me? Did you say 142? As in one hundred and forty-two? Plus untold dozens more
? That's somewhat less compelling, and it probably says more about the partiality of the author, or the editor's desperation to fill space, than anything meaningful of the wider population.
Some respondents complained that the Swiss were less compliant about wearing masks, compared to expats and internationals
.
“In shops and other public places, it’s clearly visible that foreigners wear masks while the Swiss do not. Furthermore, every expat I know has said they will not go out without a mask, where as every Swiss person I know pretty much ignores it.” […] “The Swiss feel above everything, arrogant villagers, that only follow whatever is convenient. Non-Swiss use common sense, irrespective of the regulations or subjective beliefs”. […] Another reader drew parallels with wearing masks and the elusive notion of ‘freedom’: “I never hear expats complain about (masks). While Swiss people talk about getting freedom taken away.”
I don't know if The Local's poll collected respondents' nationality. But, assuming that the comments were respondents' own words in English, and not translated by another party, I'd hazard a guess that many of them may be of German descent, or at least mindset. And those Germans do find great comfort in only obeying orders
. Except the ones that don't, that is!
For comparison, the population of Switzerland is 8.6M, very few of whom are likely to give a shit what The Local's readership thinks, much less agree with them.