The World Health Organization (WHO) recently changed its advice on face masks. It now recommends healthy people wear them in public when social distancing is not possible, stating that they could provide a barrier for potentially infectious droplets. The WHO had previously said there was not enough evidence to recommend healthy people should wear them, […]
Black lives matter protests in Switzerland
Following protests and riots in the US in response to the death of George Floyd, an estimated 2,000 people took to the streets of Lausanne over the weekend to protest, according to 20 Minutes. George Floyd died after a police officer in the US city of Minneapolis dug his knee into Floyd’s neck and kept […]
Coronavirus: Switzerland to reopen borders with EU, EFTA and UK on 15 June
Switzerland recently announced that it will lift existing entry restrictions with all EU and EFTA nations and the UK on 15 June 2020. In mid-May the Swiss government announced plans to fully reopen borders with France, Germany and Austria. On 2 June 2020, it decided to hold off on a full reopening of borders with […]
FILM: Cinemas open up!
5 June 2020. The cinemas are opening up! Slowly, but surely, this Saturday, June 6th. We’re blessed to have had a careful, orderly and easy transition here in Switzerland for the Corona crisis. Let us hope we all remain well and healthy in these tentative conditions. Vive la Suisse! Here are a sampling of the […]
Swiss economy shrinks in first quarter of 2020
Switzerland’s GDP fell by –2.6 % in the 1st quarter of 2020, after rising by +0.3% in the previous quarter, according to a government press release. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the measures to contain it, economic activity in March was severely restricted, said the statement. A global slowdown also affected exports. The service […]
Coronavirus: new cases remain low in Switzerland
Over the last week, 97 new SARS-CoV-2 infections were recorded, an average of 14 new cases a day. By 5 June 2020, there were 30,936 cases and 1,921 deaths. There were 23 new cases on 5 June and the average for the week was 14. Over the week 4 people were hospitalised with Covid-19 and there were […]
Is the lack of inflight social distancing on SWISS airlines a risk?
By Edward Girardet Over two days last week, Thailand reported a score of new coronavirus cases. All were Thai nationals returning by air from the Middle East. Otherwise, there have been almost no new community or ‘inside country’ cases since mid-May. Thai Airways (as with a growing number of other airlines) requires a “fit-to-fly” medical […]
Switzerland holds off on open borders with Italy
Switzerland’s Federal Council announced on June 2 that it plans to maintain border restrictions with Italy until further notice as a reciprocal border arrangement with Italy would be premature. From 3 June 2020, Swiss residents will be able to travel to and return from Italy, but Italians or Italian residents will not be able to […]
Coronavirus: 22,000 Swiss deaths if there had been no shutdown, estimate modellers in Zurich
Based on data from the first wave of Covid-19, epidemic modellers in Zurich estimate Switzerland would have suffered 22,000 deaths without the restrictions on daily life introduced in March 2020. The modelling, done by Fadoua Balabdaoui and Dirk Mohr at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), estimates nearly 75% of Switzerland’s population […]
Coronavirus: a second wave forecast for Switzerland
Epidemic modellers in Zurich predict a possible second wave of Covid-19 in Switzerland. Their forecast suggests it could be more deadly than the first if no effective treatments or vaccines materialise. The modelling work, done by Fadoua Balabdaoui and Dirk Mohr at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), predicts Switzerland’s state of […]
