by On 16 April 2020, the Swiss government presented its plan for emerging from its coronavirus shutdown. © Viorel Dudau | Dreamstime.comOver the last few days the number of recorded new daily infections has been far below the worst days experienced since the outbreak began. In March 2020, daily new cases regularly exceed 1,000, occasionally exceeding 1,300. Over the last two days they have been around 400, a figure that varies depending on how data collection delays are handled. Slow down in the spread of the virus has provided Switzerland’s government with impetus to progressively phase out the restrictions on daily life and business designed to slow the spread of the virus. The plan involves allowing different kinds of businesses and activities to restart in phases if the
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On 16 April 2020, the Swiss government presented its plan for emerging from its coronavirus shutdown.
Over the last few days the number of recorded new daily infections has been far below the worst days experienced since the outbreak began. In March 2020, daily new cases regularly exceed 1,000, occasionally exceeding 1,300. Over the last two days they have been around 400, a figure that varies depending on how data collection delays are handled.
Slow down in the spread of the virus has provided Switzerland’s government with impetus to progressively phase out the restrictions on daily life and business designed to slow the spread of the virus.
The plan involves allowing different kinds of businesses and activities to restart in phases if the epidemiological outlook permits.
Phase one: 27 April 2020
From Monday 27 April 2020, hospitals will be allowed to return to normal operations, including provision of non-urgent surgery and treatments. This includes hospitals, doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and other medical providers.
Businesses offering services involving close physical contact will also be able to reopen, including hairdressers and businesses offering massage, tattoos and beauty treatments. Hardware stores, garden shops and florists will also be free to open, and, supermarkets and other food venders will be allowed to sell non-food products.
From 27 April people beyond close family will be allowed to attend funerals.
Phase two: 11 May 2020
From 11 May 2020, the federal government expects to reopen compulsory school. In Switzerland this typically includes school for children up to the age of 15. A final decision on reopening will be made on 29 April.
Phase three: 8 June 2020
Starting 8 June 2020, the government aims to reopen schools and educational establishments for older students as well as museums, libraries, parks, gardens and zoos, and to loosen restrictions on gatherings. The final decision and details on this phase will be presented on 27 May.
The government said it had taken no decisions on events and large gatherings at this stage.
Final decisions will be based on the number of new infections, hospitalisation numbers, hospital occupancy rates and new Covid-19 deaths.
The government’s exit strategy is focused on systematically tracing chains of transmission by testing, treating and rapidly isolating infected people in addition to protecting people at risk by keeping them at home.
Employers are required to protect vulnerable staff either by allowing them to work from home or by providing protection for them at work.
A strategy of testing, tracing and rapidly isolating infected people is challenging. Identifying everyone who is infected is difficult. Some show no or mild symptoms, a group Switzerland has so far largely failed to test. In addition, the widely used swab test delivers a significant number false negatives – infected patients falsely testing negative.
On 16 April 2020, Switzerland had reached a total of 26,732 recorded cases and 396 new daily cases. A total of 15,900 people have recovered and 1,281 have died, 7.5% of the 17,181 total who have reached an outcome so far. Of the remaining 9,551, 385 are in serious or critical condition – all data from Worldometer.
More on this:
Government press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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