by © Arturs Budkevics | Dreamstime.com As winter approaches the federal and cantonal governments of Switzerland are hoping a larger number of people than normal will get the seasonal flu jab as the spread of Covid-19 continues, according to RTS. In a regular year Switzerland orders 1.2 million doses of the seasonal flu vaccine. These doses ...
Topics:
Investec considers the following as important: 3) Swiss Markets and News, 3.) Health, Editor's Choice, Featured, health, newsletter
This could be interesting, too:
Jane L. Johnson writes Contrived Scarcity and Antitrust Lawsuits—“It’s Not a Bag, It’s a Birkin”
David Gordon writes What Is Consent?
Lance Roberts writes Trump Presidency – Quick Thoughts On Market Impact
Robert P. Murphy writes How Can Mining Asteroids in the Future Make Us Richer Today?
© Arturs Budkevics | Dreamstime.com
As winter approaches the federal and cantonal governments of Switzerland are hoping a larger number of people than normal will get the seasonal flu jab as the spread of Covid-19 continues, according to RTS.
In a regular year Switzerland orders 1.2 million doses of the seasonal flu vaccine. These doses have already been ordered and will be delivered in late September and early October. This year the federal government is aiming for an additional 400,000 to 600,000 doses.
This would bring the total to 1.6 to 1.8 million doses and allow around 20% of Switzerland’s population to be vaccinated, a rate far higher than normal. In Geneva between 5% and 8% of the population typically get the seasonal flu vaccination.
The objective is to avoid seasonal flu and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection, which could carry increased risks.
New Public Health England research suggests the increased risks could be significant. Researchers analysed data on close to 20,000 people who were tested for both Covid-19 and influenza between 20 January and 25 April 2020. A total of 58 of those tested were positive for both viruses. Among those with co-infection the death rate was 43% compared to 27% of those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 only. However, it isn’t clear how comparable the two groups were.
The UK has bought a record 30 million doses of flu vaccine and is urging those most at risk and those in contact with high risk people to get vaccinated.
Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is prioritising the vaccination of people most at risk, which includes those over 65, pregnant women, premature babies, people suffering from chronic illnesses and those in contact with them. Initially, the FOPH is not limiting access to the vaccine, however it will reserve stocks for those most at risk if there is a shortage.
This season’s flu is currently circulating in the southern hemisphere, although the number of flu cases there has been dramatically lower than during a normal winter. Measures applied to reduce the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have also reduced the spread of the seasonal flu. World Health Organisation (WHO) data show a steep fall in the number of seasonal flu patients in the southern hemisphere during March and April and a low number since then. Similar measures in Switzerland could cut seasonal flu cases in a similar way.
You Might Also Like
Coronavirus: no significant slowdown in new cases in Switzerland
In the seven days to 10 July 2020, the reported number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections recorded in Switzerland was 589, a similar number to the week before, when 615 new cases were recorded.
Most returning to Switzerland from Covid-19 risk countries skipping quarantine
Less than half of those returning to Switzerland from countries listed by the Swiss government as having a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection are complying with the quarantine rules set out in Switzerland’s Epidemic Act, according to an estimate by the NZZ newspaper.
Coronavirus: new cases in Switzerland remain at last week’s level
In the seven days to 7 August 2020, the reported number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections recorded in Switzerland was 1037, roughly the same as the 1,078 cases recorded the week before. Over the weeks prior to this there were 772 and 692 new cases, according to worldinfometer.com.
Coronavirus: Swiss health authority adds pregnant women to risk list
After a number of recent studies that suggest pregnant women are exposed to higher risks from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) adds them to the list of people vulnerable to Covid-19. The FOPH reached its recent conclusion based on discussions with the Swiss society of gynecology and obstetrics. The society sets out the findings of a number of studies in a report.
Coronavirus: new cases in Switzerland reach highest level since April
Today, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced 274 new recorded cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours. The last time Switzerland had a daily case number above this was on 19 April 2020 when 336 new cases were recorded.
Coronavirus: no quarantine for people entering Switzerland from border regions
On 11 September 2020, Switzerland’s federal government announced that people entering Switzerland after spending time in regions next to the country’s national borders will be exempted from mandatory quarantine requirements should those regions end up with high rates of infection. Cross-border worker are already exempted from quarantine requirements.
Chlorothalonil in Zurich’s groundwater above the limit in 60 percent of samples
The banned substance chlorothalonil, which is in some pesticides, has been found to be above the limit in 60% of ground water samples taken across the canton of Zurich over the last 12 months, reported SRF.
2500 students quarantined at Lausanne’s hotel school
Around three quarters of the students at the hotel school of Lausanne (EHL) have been placed in quarantine after a number of students tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, reported RTS.
Tags: Editor's Choice,Featured,Health,newsletter