© Anton Anton | Dreamstime.com In parts of Switzerland contact tracers can no longer cope with the rising numbers of cases, according the newspaper SonntagsZeitung. Contact tracers have the task of identifying who has been in contact with people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, contacting those people and requesting they test and self isolate in order to break chains of infection. The tracing team working for the canton of Zurich is so overloaded it is delegating its...
Read More »Coronavirus: more than 4,000 new cases over 3 days in Switzerland
© Patrik Slezák | Dreamstime.com On 12 October 2020, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 4,068 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 72 hours. The latest 3-day infection figure is 2.6 times the number over the same period a week ago. Switzerland’s 7-day rolling average daily new infection number has jumped from 469 to 1,215 in a week. In addition, the rate of positivity – the percentage of tests coming back positive – continues to rise. The latest...
Read More »Initiative against Swiss Covid app fails
In July 2020, a group started gathering signatures to launch a public vote to ban Switzerland’s Covid-19 contact tracing app. To launch a referendum in Switzerland organisers must collect 50,000 signatures from eligible voters within 100 days. Organisers of the “Stop Swiss Covid” initiative had until 8 October 2020 to collect 50,000 signatures. According to RTS they failed to reach the required signature milestone. When this happens the vote fails to proceed. The...
Read More »Coronavirus: over 1,000 new cases in a day in Switzerland
© Denis Linine | Dreamstime.com On 7 October 2020, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 1,077 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection over 24 hours. The latest daily infection figure, which is 2.6 time the daily number a week ago. represents a significant jump in daily infections. Switzerland’s 7-day rolling average daily new infection number has jumped from 312 to 632 in a week. In addition, the rate of positivity – the percentage of tests coming back...
Read More »Rising numbers struggling to pay rent in Switzerland
© Ocskay Mark | Dreamstime.com Nearly 44% of renters surveyed said that coming up with the money pay rent is now harder than it was before Covid-19, according to ASLOCA, a renters’ association. Following the survey the organisation is calling for more protection against the cancellation of rental contracts and moratoriums on evictions. The main reason cited for the current financial difficulties faced when paying rent was falling revenue from fewer hours of work,...
Read More »Coronavirus: Switzerland seems to be fending off potential second wave
© Simon Kadula | Dreamstime.com The number of recorded Covid-19 cases in Switzerland has declined over the last 12 days. Over the most recent 14 days, the number of recorded cases per 100,000 in Switzerland was 59, below the figure of 60 used by the Swiss health authorities to define a region as high risk. 12 days ago on 20 September, the same rate was 67 per 100,000. The French-speaking canton of Vaud, Switzerland’s most recent Covid-19 hotspot, has recently seen...
Read More »Rising numbers struggling to pay rent in Switzerland
Nearly 44% of renters surveyed said that coming up with the money pay rent is now harder than it was before Covid-19, according to ASLOCA, a renters’ association. © Ocskay Mark | Dreamstime.comFollowing the survey the organisation is calling for more protection against the cancellation of rental contracts and moratoriums on evictions. The main reason cited for the current financial difficulties faced when paying rent was falling revenue from fewer hours of work, partial business...
Read More »Switzerland adds 18 more regions to its quarantine list
© Abdul Sami Haqqani | Dreamstime.com Today, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) added 18 regions to its compulsory quarantine list. Anyone arriving in Switzerland from these place from 28 September 2020 will be required by law to quarantine for 10 days. From 14 September 2020, Switzerland shifted from a system of listing entire countries to one which lists whole countries and regions within them. New additions to the list from 28 September 2020...
Read More »2500 students quarantined at Lausanne’s hotel school
EHL – source Wikipedia 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. The 2,500 students affected will be isolated until 28 September 2020 to stop the spread of the virus. The Swiss canton of Vaud, where recorded infections recently reached 213 per 100,000 over 14 days, is currently Switzerland’s Covid-19 hotspot. Eleven students spread...
Read More »Swiss offers staff choice between pay cuts or job cuts
Swiss, Switzerland’s flag airline, which is part of the Lufthansa group, has asked employees to accept a 15% pay cut. If they reject this offer the airline has said 1,425 jobs will be at risk, 15% of the workforce, according to a report by the newspaper Sonntags Zeitung. © Nui7711 | Dreamstime.com“Our goal is to get through the crisis with as many employees as possible.” said Marco Lipp, spokesperson for the airline. “This will only be possible if substantial reductions in staff costs can...
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