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Although the number of new corona infections has been declining in Switzerland for weeks, no one wants to spread too much confidence. As the virus mutations are spreading more and more, Federal Councilor Alain Berset (48) spoke of a “pandemic within a pandemic.” As of Thursday, a total of 3,264 infections with the new variants had been reported to the Federal Office of Public Health. That’s more than double what it was a week ago and 417 more than Wednesday.
The fear is that Switzerland will outpace the fate of Great Britain or Portugal, where the “mutation of Great Britain” triggered violent waves of infections with many deaths and overloaded emergency stations.
Is the third wave emerging in schools?
Unlike the first and second waves, this time the children and young people of the United Kingdom could have been the drivers of the pandemic. German virologist Christian Drosten (48) also claimed that the novel virus in Britain initially “rode a school wave”.
In Switzerland, this is viewed with concern. Schools have to be closed almost every day. Most recently on Thursday at Mellingen-Wohlenschwil AG. Seven children tested positive, four of them with a mutation. The primary school in Turgi AG had to be closed on Monday due to 40 infections, most of them were also infected with a mutant.
Massive testing in response to mutations.
In Arosa GR, schools have been closed for more than a week because 58 people from the school environment have tested positive. The British mutation was detected in 45. This was the result of a massive test.
However, this brought up an important finding: the virus had not yet spread from the school to the rest of the population. In this way, all infected people could be sent to self-isolation or quarantine.
A procedure that is now becoming fashionable. Several cantons are now planning regular mass tests in schools. The Federal Council supports him and will assume the expenses from next Monday. The hope behind it: learning more about the infection process and having to close fewer schools.
Five cantons participate
Graubünden plans to carry out weekly saliva mass tests in all schools in the canton from the beginning of March. These are volunteers for the students. Logistically, however, it is not an easy task: which school needs how many tests? Which laboratory receives which tubes? In Graubünden, Swiss Post takes care of the logistics.
The canton of Zug also wants to carry out regular mass tests in schools. Unlike Graubünden, these are compulsory for students and teachers. The cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Appenzell Innerrhoden are also planning regular mass tests in schools. At least one pilot test will start in Thurgau.
Canton St. Gallen does not plan any mass testing
But, as is often the case when the responsibility lies with the cantons, when it comes to massive tests, there are those who see the situation fundamentally differently. This is most clearly expressed in the canton of St. Gallen. “At the moment, no regular preventive tests are planned for schools in the canton of St. Gallen,” says BLICK when asked. This is justified by the now controversial thesis that “children are not the drivers of the pandemic.”
The cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Geneva, Waadt, Wallis, Glarus, Bern and Nidwalden are not planning any systematic mass testing in schools at the moment. Either because the epidemiological situation of the canton does not currently require it or because the extensive tests are considered disproportionate.
The cantons of Schaffhausen, Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Solothurn and Uri have not yet made a decision. Discussions are currently taking place there to clarify what testing strategy is being followed.
Teachers Association Calls for a Uniform Testing Strategy
Prominent teacher Dagmar Rösler (49) welcomes area tests in schools and demands that they be implemented in all cantons. “The pandemic affects all of Switzerland,” Rösler told SRF. “We can also see that there are schools all over Switzerland that have had to close. So it would make a lot of sense to be able to coordinate this at the national level. “
