This week, 6,845 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, down 16% from the 8,188 recorded the week before.
On a 7-day moving average basis, the number of daily new cases (978) is back down to where it was in early August 2021.
The number entering hospital with Covid-19 is also down. Over the last 7 days, 118 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 compared to 201 during the prior 7 days.
This week, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) updated its data on the vaccination status of those entering hospital. On 3 October 2021, FOPH recorded 313 (2.9%) of the total hospitalised since 27 January 2021 as fully vaccinated. Updated figures for the same date now show 591 (5.5%) as fully vaccinated. The FOPH recently updated the number of fully vaccinated to include people who have recovered and received one dose of vaccine. This may have had an impact. However, at 5.5% the fully vaccinated remain a small percentage of the hospitalised total.
In addition to the retrospective revision of the number of fully vaccinated Covid-19 patients hospitalised, the total has now been broken down into those of known vaccination status and those of unknown status. The revised data now show 6,323 of known vaccination status and 4,346 of unknown status. On 3 October 2021, the fully vaccinated represented 9.3% of those of known vaccination status who had been hospitalised since 27 January 2021.
Over the last 7 days, 26 out of the 118 people hospitalised with Covid-19 were recorded as fully vaccinated (22%). This percentage is up from last week (8%). Why is unclear. This percentage would be expected to drift upwards over time as the vaccinated population grows. It may also be partly due to the methodological updates mentioned above. The effects of random complexity will play a part too.
Switzerland continues to make progress on vaccination. By 7 October 2021, 60% of the population was fully vaccinated and a further 5% partially jabbed. Switzerland continues to trail much of the rest of Europe on vaccination. With 65% fully (60%) or partially (5%) vaccinated, Switzerland trails Germany (68%), the UK (72%), France (75%), Italy (76%) and Spain (81%) – data here.
This week, Virginie Massey, the head of infectious disease control in Switzerland, described the current rate of immunity as insufficient. She said that the current vaccination rate of around 70,000 a week is too slow to reach a sufficient level of immunity before winter. Massey remains concerned that as people migrate indoors the virus could start to spread faster and put strain on the hospital system over the colder winter months.
More on this:
FOPH data (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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