The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was unequal, hitting low-income households far harder than those on high incomes, according to a study published by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich. Infection rates rise with incomeMore people in the higher income range reported being infected with Covid-19 than those in lower income groups. […]
Covid: 25% of Vaud residents have antibodies, according to study
A recent round of antibody testing suggests that a quarter of people living in the canton of Vaud have antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The antibody study run by Unisanté, which involves periodically testing a sample of the population, has been operating since May 2020. The latest results, which involved testing around 1,000 people over […]
Record fall in Swiss hotel occupancy in 2020
In 2020, the number of overnight stays in Swiss hotels fell by 40% to 23.7 million, a fall of 15.8 million nights compared to 2019. The fall, driven by Covid-19, is the largest fall in overnight stays in Switzerland since the end of the 1950s, according to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office. Plummeting hotel stays were […]
Coronavirus: Swiss government confirms March reopening plan
On 24 February 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council confirmed its earlier plan to allow shops, museums, library reading rooms, outdoor sports and leisure facilities, zoos and botanical gardens to reopen on 1 March 2021. In addition, outdoor events involving family and friends and sports and cultural activities involving up to 15 people will also be permitted […]
A look back at assurances made at the time on the anniversary of the first Swiss Covid case
On 25 February 2020, Swiss authorities announced the discovery of the first known case of Covid-19 in Switzerland and assured the public that there was no reason to be concerned. The first case identified in Switzerland was a man in Ticino in his 70s, who had returned from a trip to northern Italy, where 220 […]
Covid: Swiss cases and deaths continue downward trend
This week, Switzerland’s Covid figures continued to improve. Over the seven days to 19 February 2021, Switzerland reported 7,048 new positive Covid-19 cases and 133 deaths. The number of daily cases reported in Switzerland over the same period averaged 1,006, a figure 20% lower than the daily reported average of 1,265 reported the week before. The current infection rate […]
Covid: Swiss government presents plan to reopen
On 17 February 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council presented its plan to start reopening from 1 March 2021. With the number of new infections declining over recent weeks, political pressure has been growing for a return towards normality. A petition opposed to anti-Covid restrictions has now been signed by more than 250,000 people. At its meeting […]
Covid: more than 1% of Swiss population fully vaccinated
The latest figures published by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show that 1.18% of Switzerland’s population has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 since vaccinations began on 21 December 2020. The percentages varies by canton. The canton of Nidwalden, where 4.65% of the population have received a full course of vaccine, leads the way. […]
Growing black market trade in fake Covid tests, say Swiss authorities
European and Swiss authorities are seeing the emergence of an illegal trade in false negative Covid-19 test results, reported RTS. As more and more countries introduce requirements to produce negative Covid-19 tests as a condition of entry, so do the incentives to buy and sell false test results. This week, Switzerland introduced a new rule […]
More than 230,000 sign petition to end lockdown in Switzerland
A petition aimed at pressuring the federal government into ending coronavirus restrictions has collected more than 230,000 signatures. The petition was started by members of the young liberals party (FDP/PLR) in Zurich. It is supported by the Swiss Peoples Party (SVP/UDC) and USAM/SGV, a small business association. Petition organisers demand restaurants, bars, leisure and sports […]
