According to numbers reported on Friday 22 January 2021, a total of 169,783 doses of vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been administered in Switzerland. The number of people vaccinated will be lower than this figure because both of the vaccines approved for use in Switzerland are given in two doses. Currently, less than 2% […]
Covid: Swiss death toll passes 9,000 as death rate slows
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 14,051 positive Covid-19 cases and 366 deaths. Over the seven days to 22 January 2021, the number daily cases reported in Switzerland averaged 2,007, a figure 19% lower than the daily reported average of 2,464 reported the week before. The number of weekly reported deaths […]
Covid: the hidden burden of overloaded Swiss hospitals
Significant hidden health costs lie behind the overloading of intensive care units (ICU), according to a recent Swiss study. The study, done by Switzerland’s National COVID-19 Science Task Force, calculated that the number of non-Covid patients in ICU has more than halved since the beginning of the second wave of infections in Switzerland. “Decline in […]
Covid: schools to close in some Swiss cantons
After consulting with the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force, Switzerland’s scientific Covid advisory team, Switzerland’s federal government has decided to leave schools open. However, cantons can still decide to close them if they decide to and some have done so. For the Task Force classroom teaching should only be prevented if the epidemiological situation […]
Covid: 17,245 cases and 387 deaths reported in Switzerland this week
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 17,245 positive Covid-19 cases and 387 deaths. Over the seven days to 15 January 2021, the number daily cases reported in Switzerland averaged 2,464. This figure is significantly below the daily reported average leading up to Christmas. In the 7 days to 18 December 2020, […]
Covid: Switzerland reaches 66,000 vaccinations against the virus
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recently reported that 66,000 people in Switzerland had been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. The number was communicated by Nora Kronig of the FOPH during a press conference in Bern on Thursday 14 January 2020. The 66,000 is likely to be lower than the actual […]
Covid: Swiss government extends and tightens measures
On 13 January 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced a 5-week extension of the current restrictions and introduced further measures. The Federal Council said that it fears the more infectious variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could lead to a rapid rise in numbers at a time when new cases remain very high. In little more than […]
Covid: Switzerland grants approval for second vaccine
On 12 January 2021, Swissmedic, the Swiss agency for the authorisation and supervision of pharmaceutical products, approved a second vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus for the Swiss market. The vaccine from Moderna, of which the federal government has ordered around 7.5 million doses, has been approved for adults from age 18. Over the coming days […]
Covid: 2,851 cases over 24 hours in Switzerland
Today, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced 2,851 positive Covid-19 cases over 24 hours. The average number of new daily cases has averaged 2,344 over the last four days, a figure significantly lower than the daily averages leading up to Christmas. In the 7 days to 18 December 2020, the average number of […]
Covid: tension rises between Switzerland’s scientists and politicians
Tension between Switzerland’s scientists and politicians is rising, according to RTS. On Saturday, Christian Althaus, an epidemiologist working for the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force, Switzerland’s scientific Covid advisory team, announced his resignation and voiced his frustration on Twitter. “One of the reasons why I left the scientific task force this week. Politicians must […]
