On 14 April 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council presented plans to reopen the country further despite a deteriorating epidemiological situation. From Monday, 19 April 2021, it will be possible to hold events with audiences and spectators subject to restrictions, for example at sports stadiums, cinemas, theatres and concert venues. Indoor sports and cultural activities will also […]
More than half of UK has Covid-19 antibodies
On 14 April 2021, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) issued a report that suggests 54% of the UK population had antibodies to Covid-19 by 28 March 2021. The comparable percentage in Switzerland could be around 25%, however there is no up to date data to indicate this. Most of the antibodies detected in […]
Covid: cases and deaths up in Switzerland this week
This week, saw 14,451 new Covid-19 cases in Switzerland, up 10% from a week before (13,125). The 7-day average is currently 2,064 new daily cases, up from 1,875 last week. There were 98 Covid-19 deaths this week, up from 52 last week. At the same time Swiss hospitals report lower numbers of Covid-19 patients. One […]
Swiss air quality improves in 2020 but depends on location
In 2020, Switzerland was ranked 18th out of a 106 nations for the quality of its air, placing it comfortably in the top quintile. However, Swiss air quality depends on where you live. In 2020, Switzerland ranked 18th with a score of 9.00, up from a rank of 24th with a score of 10.90. The […]
Amnesty International critical of Swiss pandemic response
According to the human rights watchdog Amnesty International, the measures taken by the Swiss government in response to the pandemic placed disproportionate restrictions on freedom of expression. The organisation was also critical of Switzerland’s temporary suspension of asylum demands during the pandemic. Between March and June 2020, the Swiss government used exceptional powers in response […]
Swiss healthcare spending jumps in 2020 despite drop in April
Swiss healthcare spending fell steeply during the first wave of the pandemic as non-essential surgery was postponed. However, these savings have since been wiped out, leaving spending for the year 1.16% higher than in 2019, according to RTS. The total amount spent on healthcare in Switzerland in 2020 hit CHF 34.5 billion, CHF 400 million […]
IMF praises Switzerland’s economic response to the pandemic
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Switzerland has economically navigated the Covid-19 pandemic well so far. In 2020, the Swiss economy shrank by 2.9%, far less than many other advanced European economies. France (-8.2%), Germany (-4.9%), Italy (-8.9%) and the UK (-9.9%) all performed far worse. According to the IMF, the impact of the […]
France asks Switzerland for help with Covid patients
The French region of Bourgogne-Franche Comté has contacted several Swiss cantons and asked them if they would take Covid patients, according to RTS. Jacques Gerber, the minister of health in the canton of Jura told RTS that there had been a request from France to prepare in case French hospitals become overloaded. New cases have […]
Possible link found between very rare blood clots and AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine
On 7 April 2021, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced the results of an investigation that suggest a possible link between the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and very rare cases of blood clots. By 16 March 2021, around 20 million people in the UK and EEA had received the vaccine, and by 18 March 2021, the […]
Covid: hospital patients younger as cases rise and more elderly vaccinated this week
This week saw new Covid-19 cases rise 13% in Switzerland. Over the seven days to 2 April 2021, Switzerland reported 13,125 new Covid-19 cases. The 7-day average is currently 1,875 new daily cases, up from 1,658 last week. At the same time deaths have declined from 87 last week to 52 this week. One driver of declining […]
