On 19 March 2021, the Federal Council decided to relax restrictions regarding indoor gatherings of family and friends from five to a maximum of ten people. However, faced with rising case numbers, the risk of an uncontrolled increase in cases is currently too great to allow any further measures to be eased, said the government. […]
Covid: infections continue to accelerate this week in Switzerland
This week saw new cases rise 19.3%. This follows an increase of 13.5% the week before. Over the seven days to 19 March 2021, Switzerland reported 9,964 new Covid-19 cases. The 7-day average is currently 1,423 new daily cases, up from 1,194 last week. Vaccination progresses with 5.0% now fully vaccinated and 13.7 doses per 100 people […]
Swiss upper house votes to raise pension age for women
As Switzerland’s population ages the number of people paid state pension is rising relative to the number of workers funding it. Since 2014, more has been paid out than has been paid in. The most effective way to fix this imbalance is to raise the pension age. If the average life expectancy of a retiree […]
Four ways the world has changed for MBA graduates
Brought to you be QS Online MBA events. The last twelve months have brought high levels of business uncertainty, affecting the ability of businesses to forecast and make hiring decisions. Unemployment in Switzerland has risen, especially among younger workers. By the end of 2020 unemployment in Switzerland had reached 7.3% among those aged 15-24 and […]
Covid: Swiss plan to open further now tentative after signs of third wave
On 12 March 2021, the Swiss government presented its tentative plan to reduce Covid-19 restrictions from 22 March 2021. According to the government it is currently unclear how the epidemic will develop. Reproduction rates and case numbers have begun rising again. The reproduction rate across the country is now 1.13 (5 March 2021) and only […]
Flu deaths surprisingly rare in Switzerland
Sometimes comparisons are drawn between the seasonal flu and Covid-19. But how many die from the seasonal flu in Switzerland in a typical year? According to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office, surprisingly few. Over the ten years from 2009 to 2018, an annual average of 1181 people died from the flu in Switzerland, according to death […]
18% of Swiss hotel and restaurant businesses already closed down
A recently published survey run by Gastrosuisse, a hotel and restaurant industry association, suggests that 18.4% of businesses in the sector have already closed down due to the business disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 18.4% of the businesses polled reported that they had already closed with no plans to reopen. Without financial aid 23% […]
Zurich votes to require disclosure of nationality of criminal suspects
Last weekend, 55% of voters in the canton of Zurich voted in favour of a plan to require the disclosure of the nationality of those suspected of committing crimes in police reports. Changing this rule is an issue that has been pushed by some of Switzerland’s politicians for decades. The argument for the disclosure is […]
Covid: why is vaccination progress so slow in Switzerland?
When news of successful vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus was announced, many expected a relatively rapid transition back to normal life. However, more than two months since the first doses of vaccine were administered in Switzerland only 4.3% of the population has been fully vaccinated. Why has progress been so slow? The problem seems to […]
Covid: growth in cases accelerates this week in Switzerland
Over the seven days to 12 March 2021, Switzerland reported 8,355 new Covid-19 cases, 13.5% more than the week before, when cases rose by 2.8%. The 7-day average is currently 1,178 new daily cases, up from 1,051 last week. Vaccines and higher levels of natural immunity help. But according to a nationwide antibody testing programme, the majority […]
