Switzerland. Canton Ticino. Lugano. A pretty young woman walks in the street while talking on her mobile phone. A family with a young child are all wearing masks on their faces to protect themselves from the Coronavirus (also called Covid-19). They talk to an elderly woman standing on the other side of the road. The safety sanitary measures advocate people to stand apart in order to avoid close contact and potential contamination by coronavirus. 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. 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. 4.04.2020 © 2020 Didier Ruef