Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

© Niccolo Pontigia | Dreamstime.com On 29 October 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 9,386 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours, bringing the total to 145,044. New daily cases continue to rise in Switzerland. The number of reported laboratory-confirmed cases today was 9% higher than yesterday. Over the last 14 days, Switzerland has recorded 837 new cases per 100,000, with nearly half of Switzerland’s laboratory-confirmed...

© Piccaya | Dreamstime.com On 28 October 2020, Switzerland’s federal government removed all but 6 nations/regions from its quarantine list, effective from 29 October 2020. The rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection has risen so high in Switzerland that most of the world is less infected. Quarantining those arriving in Switzerland from all but a few places is now senseless. Currently, there are 90 nations or regions from where people must quarantine on arrival in Switzerland....

© Ilzekalve | Dreamstime.com Levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies wane quite rapidly after infection, researchers from Imperial College London have found. The team, which measured SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in 365,000 people between June and September saw a decline of 26% in the number testing positive for antibodies. At the start, antibodies were found in 6.0% of those tested with prick blood tests. During September the percentage was 4.4%, a drop of 26% over roughly 3...

© David Herraez | Dreamstime.com On 28 October 2020, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 8,616 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours, bringing the total to 135,658. Close to half of Switzerland’s laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported over the last two weeks (66,954). In addition, over the last two weeks, positivity – the percentage of tests coming back positive – has risen from 14% to 32%, a positivity rate higher than the...

© Dwfotos | Dreamstime.com Recent petitions from two groups of scientists clash over herd immunity. The Great Barrington Declaration On 4 October 2020, three public health experts launched the “Great Barrington Declaration”, a petition calling on governments to protect the vulnerable and allow the young and healthy to live their lives without restrictions. This group says it has grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing...

© Fabiobalbi | Dreamstime.com Numbers published today by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) show a further 17,440 tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Switzerland over 72 hours, a daily average of 5,813. Last Monday, the same 72-hour figure was 8,737, roughly half this Monday’s number. Half of Switzerland’s laboratory-confirmed cases since the outbreak began in February have been recorded over the last 15 days. Hospital numbers are up too. Numbers...

© Dnaveh | Dreamstime.com Land use is strictly governed in Switzerland. However, a new initiative, which aims to increase construction restrictions further, recently gathered enough signatures to qualify for a a popular vote. The initiative, dubbed the countryside initiative, was officially registered after gathering 104,487 valid signatures, more than the 100,000 that must be collected within 100 days to qualify for a referendum. The federal law on land management...

© Martinmark | Dreamstime.com On Sunday 25 October 2020, Geneva’s HUG hospital issued a call for volunteers as the number of Covid-19 patients rises rapidly. The hospital seeks medical, care and administrative volunteers to bolster and relieve their staff. In addition, they seek those who might have recently retired or who are on leave. Bertrand Levrat, the hospital’s chief, said that it’s highly likely that the hospital’s peak number of 550 Covid-19 patients reached...

© Axel Bueckert | Dreamstime.com Today, Germany announced it had added Switzerland to its list of Covid-19 risk countries, effective from 24 October 2020. Until now only certain Swiss cantons were on Germany’s list. The Robert Koch Institut, Germany’s health authority, advises German residents against non-essential travel to Switzerland. Other new additions to Germany’s list include Liechtenstein, Ireland, Poland, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and much...

Land use is strictly governed in Switzerland. However, a new initiative, which aims to increase construction restrictions further, recently gathered enough signatures to qualify for a a popular vote. © Dnaveh | Dreamstime.comThe initiative, dubbed the countryside initiative, was officially registered after gathering 104,487 valid signatures, more than the 100,000 that must be collected within 100 days to qualify for a referendum. The federal law on land management (LAT/RPG), an earlier...