Switzerland. Canton Ticino. Lugano. A worker stands at the entrance of Denner Supermarket. The man and various customers wear a mask on their faces to protect themselves from the Coronavirus (also called Covid-19). The worker's job is to control the door and and let enter only a restricted number of customers. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, the Federal Council has categorised the situation in the country as “extraordinary”. It has issued a recommendation to all citizens to stay at home, especially the sick and the elderly. The Federal Council (German: Bundesrat, French: Conseil fédéral, Italian: Consiglio federale, Romansh: Cussegl federal) is the seven-member executive council that constitutes the federal government of the Swiss Confederation. From March 16 the government ramped up its response to the widening pandemic, ordering the closure of bars, restaurants, sports facilities and cultural spaces. Only businesses providing essential goods to the population – such as grocery stores, bakeries and pharmacies – are to remain open. Denner is a discount supermarket chain in Switzerland. It is Switzerland's third largest supermarket chain with 11.4% market share. It is owned by the Federation of Migros Cooperatives since 2007. 17.03.2020 © 2020 Didier Ruef