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Experts have given their opinion on the current situation of the pandemic. It is far from favorable for openings, but there is hope. The ticker for reading.
The initial situation:
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All corona rapid tests have been free in Switzerland since Monday.
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As of March 1, shops and some cultural and leisure institutions were able to reopen.
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The Federal Council is planning further relaxation starting March 22. The final decision in this regard will be made by the Federal Council on March 19.
Comments on the situation:
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The number of infections continues to rise.
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The reproduction value is 1.13, with this value “the number of cases doubles in about four weeks.”
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The R-value is only below 1 in three cantons (and Liechtenstein): Jura, Glarus and Schwyz (to the source).
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80 percent of new infections are due to variants of the virus.
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The Federal Office of Public Health wants to test 40 percent of the population on a weekly basis.
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Hospitalizations have remained low (the situation in hospitals).
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Open or not open? It’s not up to them to make recommendations, Patrick Mathys said (more on this in the entrance starting at 2:39 pm).
More about the subject:
Here you have our Corona board with all the numbers.
You can find an overview of vaccination rates here: That’s how far Switzerland is with vaccination
The press conference is over. Thank you very much for your interest.
“From an epidemiological point of view, you cannot derive the number 50 for events,” responds Patrick Mathys. “It’s a bit arbitrary.”
However, the proposal is of the order of magnitude. “It could also be 40 or 60 people. I can remember 50 better myself. “
“New studies on the subject have recently been published,” says Patrick Mathys: “There is a possibility and there is evidence that the British variant is more lethal.”
According to Mathys, more publications are needed on this. “The findings will improve even more in the coming weeks.”
“The vaccine provides protection,” explains Mathys. “The question that has not yet been answered is to what extent a vaccinated person can transmit the virus.”
Rudolf Hauri also recounts a case in which an outbreak occurred two weeks after vaccination in a nursing home. “The residents of the house were particularly affected by this,” says Hauri. “But all the affected people had a mild course.”
“It is a question of approval. As far as I know, vaccines are not approved for children and adolescents anywhere in the world, ”says Mathys.
In Britain it is said that there are new virus variants that the tests do not recognize. “There will always be new mutations,” says Patrick Mathys. “This can also lead to immune evasions, which would result in a vaccine adaptation.”
According to Mathys, the federal government has established a monitoring system to maintain an overview of the situation and to be able to identify new variants as quickly as possible. “Unfortunately, in emerging countries it is almost impossible to guarantee real monitoring and regular sequencing,” Mathys explains. Switzerland was certainly not one of the first countries to carry out sequencing. “But now we are among the best.”
Many countries have suspended vaccination with the vaccine, what do experts say about reports of side effects? “Swissmedic includes current reports on events in its evaluation. I cannot say more about this because the FOPH is not responsible ”, responds Patrick Mathys.
According to Rudolf Hauri, there are already inquiries from the population about the possible side effects of the vaccine. “I don’t think the current reports jeopardize the vaccination goal. But it needs a dialogue with the population, even when critical questions arise. “
“There are efforts to obtain a vaccination certificate both at the European and global level,” says Patrick Mathys.
According to FOPH experts, the goal should be as complete a solution as possible, similar to the WHO vaccination certificate for yellow fever. “We will also go ahead with the issuance of a vaccination certificate at the national level, with an eye on the international situation.”
According to Fosca Gattoni of the FOPH, home self-tests will be available in pharmacies from the beginning of April.
Mathys repeatedly uses the term “herd immunity”. When could this be guaranteed in Switzerland? “I don’t want to give a fixed percentage of herd immunity,” Mathys answered the question. “With the original variant, one infected person infected three other people. However, the new variants have a 50 percent transfer advantage. That means that one person can infect 4.5 people. Two-thirds, either through disease or vaccination, of the population should be immune. Probably even closer to 80 percent. “
When asked about the number of people willing to get vaccinated, Mathys did not comment. “I can’t give you any information here.”
Like this newspaper reported, the mask could stay with us for years, despite corona vaccination. What does Patrick Mathys say about it? “It depends on how many people are immune from a previous disease. When herd immunity has been achieved, the measures can be slowly withdrawn, ”says the FOPH expert. The greater the number of people who are not protected, the greater the risk of new outbreaks.
Of course, it could be said that at some point everyone will be responsible for their own infection. “But it will be necessary for a long time in the case of local outbreaks to order accompanying measures such as the use of a mask so as not to overload the health system.”
“Yes, we still consider the goal to be realistic and we will do everything we can to make sure it can be achieved,” says Patrick Mathys. The return to the middle of normal reality can only occur through vaccination.
Rudolf Hauri adds: “We are doing everything possible in the cantons to achieve the goal. But the organizational challenges are enormous. It also needs the participation of the population. If everyone comes at the same time, we won’t make it. ”
According to Hauri, everyone at risk should get vaccinated by the end of June. For the rest of those who wish to vaccinate, the goal is also expected to be achieved. “It is not certain that this can be implemented, but the planning is going in that direction.”
“It is difficult to say where the outbreak begins,” says Martin Bühler. “We had a very clear outbreak in St. Moritz. The personnel were affected. “As a government department, the canton had carried out extensive tests and also conducted an area test among the population.” There they saw that the outbreak was limited to employees. “
«The situation is fragile. But it’s not up to us to recommend anything here, ”says Patrick Mathys.
Certainly, the situation is not the most favorable to implement great opening steps now. «We would have liked a different development. The question now is: Has the trend been reversed and is the number of cases increasing again? “
Reporters present can now ask questions. “No, it is still not possible to speak clearly of a third wave”, answers Patrick Mathys to the first question. The number of cases would increase, but it is possible that the road goes in this direction.
“Four of the five most important factors are changing right now. On the one hand, there are the virus variants: there are more infections than with the previous variant. Furthermore, each initial step is associated with a risk. At the same time we are vaccinating. This will come true at some point. In the end, and this is the most important factor, it all comes down to population. Are you still ready to support the measures? “
Now Rudolf Hauri is speaking. It begins with good news: “So far, the occupancy of intensive care units and hospitalization in the cantons has not increased.” Hauri hopes that vaccines will have a positive impact on hospitalizations and, in particular, deaths.
The population has many questions. These would primarily revolve around issues of vaccine safety, availability and when to vaccinate, Hauri says. “You need good planning for vaccines. Second vaccinations should be done without delay. The next planned deliveries will be included in the planning. “
According to Bühler, the tests reveal a high proportion of new infections in schools and businesses. Bühler presents the test numbers for the cantons. “In Graubünden, 100 percent of all secondary schools participate in the tests. 95 percent of all schools in the canton participate. “In addition, more than 1,000 companies with more than 42,000 employees have already registered for mass testing since February.” 131 people who unknowingly carried the virus were successfully isolated “.
Bühler sees that a large part of the population wants to make a contribution. “The cooperation works well. Municipalities, schools, companies: they all support each other. If you want to actively promote these strategies, you need a partnership. “
The canton of Graubünden already has experience with mass testing. The first pilot projects have been carried out in southern Grisons, says Martin Bühler, Head of the Civil and Military Protection Office and Chief of the Cantonal General Staff of the Canton of Graubünden. “The projects had an impact on the number of cases.”
According to Bühler, around 200,000 people live in the canton of Graubünden. “Also, there are almost the same number of tourists in winter.” Consequently, there should have been an increase in the number of cases. “This was not the case. The number of cases is stagnating in Graubünden,” explains Bühler. The spread was “proven”.
Now take the floor Fosca Gattoni. “We have significantly expanded the test strategy,” says Gattoni, explaining the three pillars of the strategy:
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First, everyone with symptoms should continue to be tested.
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“As a second point, massive testing flows within the strategy. Up to 40 percent of the population should be tested once a week. This is primarily intended to identify asymptomatic people. “According to Gattoni, this test will use free saliva tests. These should take place in the so-called clustering process in companies, schools or nursing homes.
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“In the next step, you should also be able to test yourself at home.” The cantons are responsible for organizing the tests.
Informed about the testing strategy: Fosca Gattoni, Deputy Chief of the Therapeutic Products Law Section of the Federal Office of Public Health.
Photo: KEYSTONE / Anthony Anex
According to Mathys, vaccines are a key factor in the development of this pandemic. Starting in May, significantly more vaccinations will take place.
In Switzerland, 4.57 people are currently vaccinated for every 100 inhabitants. “The low proportion of people between 50 and 60 years who have been vaccinated to date could become a drag on the health system,” warns Mathys and mentions that the corona measures must continue to be strictly observed.
