A nursing home near Lausanne in the canton of Vaud was recently infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to RTS. Over a week, five residents died. All of them tested positive for Covid-19. The five deaths do not appear to have been included in Vaud’s official statistics, which show no Covid-19 deaths since 16 August 2020. The […]
Coronavirus: Swiss cantons of Fribourg and Valais make masks compulsory in shops
The Swiss cantons of Fribourg and Valais follow a growing number other cantons and make masks compulsory in shops. The new rule comes into force in Fribourg on Friday 28 August 2020 and in Valais on Monday 31 August 2020. After Switzerland’s first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections, the federal government decided to give Switzerland’s cantons […]
Coronavirus: why are some countries not on risk lists despite exceeding new case thresholds?
Switzerland currently exceeds the UK’s threshold number of recent new Covid-19 cases to be classified as a risk country and France currently exceeds Switzerland’s threshold. However, these nations are currently not on risk lists. Nearly every nation now maintains a list of countries from which entry is either restricted or comes with a quarantine requirement. […]
Coronavirus: Zurich makes masks compulsory in shops
From Thursday 27 August 2020, anyone entering a shop or shopping centre in Zurich will be required to wear a mask. To reduce the risk of a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases the government of the canton of Zurich has introduced compulsory mask wearing in shops, shopping centres and markets. The latest official Covid-19 figures […]
Coronavirus: new cases continue to rise in Switzerland this week
In the seven days to 21 August 2020, the reported number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections recorded in Switzerland was 1,661, 18% higher than the 1,402 cases recorded the week before. The total number of recorded cases and deaths stood at 39,332 and 1,998 by 21 August 2020. The 7-day rolling average number of new cases […]
Is ventilation in Swiss schools good enough to reduce the spread of Covid-19?
As pupils across Switzerland soon start returning to school, some might wonder how well ventilated school classrooms are. A study published by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) in 2019 estimates that the air quality in two thirds of Swiss classrooms was inadequate. The study, which ran over two years, sampled the air quality […]
Coronavirus: Basel becomes first German-speaking canton to make masks compulsory in shops
From Monday, masks will be compulsory in shops in the canton of Basel-City, according to a recent government press release. The measure, which comes into force on Monday 24 August 2020, is set to last until 31 December 2020. The canton’s authorities are concerned by the recent rise in cases. Lukas Engelberger, the canton’s health […]
Coronavirus: Neuchâtel makes masks compulsory in shops from Friday
From Friday, Neuchâtel will become the fourth Swiss canton after Vaud, Geneva and Jura to make masks compulsory in shops, according to 24 Heures. The measure, which comes into force on Friday 21 August 2020, is set to last until 30 September 2020. People entering shops large enough for 10 people, including staff, will be […]
Coronavirus: virus found in skin of woman testing negative at Basel hospital
A report from the University Hospital of Basel, recently published by The Lancet, adds to evidence of the unreliability of PCR and antibody Covid-19 tests. An 81 year old woman with Covid-19 symptoms was admitted to the hospital and given a SARS-CoV-2 PCR test1. The test came back negative. 6 weeks later she was given […]
Coronavirus: a quarter of Swiss employees don’t want to be vaccinated, suggests survey
A survey run by the Bern University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the trade union Travail suisse suggests a significant portion of Switzerland’s workforce does not want to be vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reports the newspaper 20 Minutes. According to the survey, 45.8% would be willing to take a government certified vaccine, 29.5% were undecided […]
