In quarantine, Switzerland bans sale of toys

“Why are toys forbidden, mom?” I hear a child ask in the supermarket.

Intrigued, I follow the voice. A boy, six or seven years old, stands with his mother in front of the toy shelves in the supermarket. A red and white tape, like those used in crime scene investigations, blocks access to a display of card games, playdoh, domino, puzzles, slime, Rummikub, barbies, Swiss wooden cows, and other toys.

The child wants to buy Uno, a card game. But the game is out of reach, behind the forensic tape.

“We can only buy essential things,” I hear the mother explain.

The Swiss, to avoid discrimination among stores in quarantine times, don’t allow supermarkets to sell non-essential products. The rationale is the following: in order to minimize contagion, most stores have been ordered to close. Only stores selling essential goods remain open, it would not be fair to let supermarkets sell what other stores can’t sell. Sounds fair, but then, these are not normal times, wouldn’t the majority benefit from having supermarkets sell all their range of products?

“Who decides what’s essential, Mom?”

Good question. I’m left wondering. Yeah, really, who decides? I picture the decision-maker. In my mind, he’s a short bureaucrat dressed in grey. Despite lockdown, he’s…