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Corona experts from the task force and the federal government comment on the development of the Covid-19 pandemic in Switzerland. We will report live from 2 pm
the essentials in brief
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Switzerland has been in the second lockdown for just over a week. The measures apply until February 28.
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The number of crown mutations in Great Britain and South Africa is increasing rapidly. As of today there are almost 1,000 cases; a week ago it was 388.
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On Tuesday, the BAG reports 1,884 new infections in 24 hours.
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So far around 204,000 vaccines have been administered in Switzerland (The current corona vaccination monitor)
Click here to see ours Crown board with all the numbers
Read about the current status of the vaccination campaign:
Bottleneck in two weeks? Berset’s vaccination order leads directly to collapse
“Tense situation”: Parliament wants the right of way for vaccination
Corona vaccines in Switzerland: vaccinated earlier thanks to the “wild card list”
The great skepticism – in the minds of the opponents of vaccination
At what level of case numbers is BAG targeting?
“At the moment, we certainly want new cases in the triple digit range,” says Mathys. The goal would then be to reach a maximum of 300 cases per day as quickly as possible. “We have to get there as soon as possible to create enough stocks, and new virus variants should thwart the bill,” Mathys emphasizes.
The FOPH vaccination tool is not suitable for cantons: has the FOPH made the wrong investment?
“The federal government has established a uniform solution as a service to help,” says Kronig. “It is associated with initial difficulties, but we actually have positive feedback on the use of the tool.” “The tool works well for us, despite the initial difficulties,” adds Hauri, the doctor from the canton of Zug.
“Proof of the result of a test can be via mobile phone or in the form of confirmation on paper,” says Patrick Mathys. However, he points out that this evidence can also be falsified, but that is not concerned at the moment.
Can anyone who wants to get vaccinated before summer?
“We bought 15 million cans,” says Kronig. “I cannot comment on vaccines that have not yet been approved.”
Is the distribution of the vaccine doses fair?
“The figures that are published are the doses of vaccination administered,” says Kronig. “So it may be that if the ratios don’t work, some cantons haven’t taken their doses yet.”
Furthermore, Switzerland was not too reluctant to vaccinate. “We have signed contracts with three companies, we were the first country to sign a contract with Moderna, for example. In an international comparison, we have a positive situation in Switzerland. We are confident in our vaccination campaign, ”Kronig said.
“The different delivery sizes are a challenge for us,” says Kronig. “It is important for us to find a solution for the largest vaccination campaign of all time in Switzerland.”
“We discussed this in the working group,” adds Ackermann. “From a scientific point of view, it is important to inoculate the cans as quickly as possible. Every day that brings us a little closer to normal is important. “
Will the canton of Graubünden be sanctioned by Switzerland for withholding vaccination doses?
“The vaccine distribution key is really clear, we deliver it exactly according to it, it doesn’t change,” says Kronig. “The way in which the canton carries out vaccinations, whether through vaccination centers, mobile units or general practitioners, depends on the cantons themselves. It’s a complex job that needs to be done, also because we have variance in delivery. We see ourselves as a kind of support. “
Timely administration of the second vaccine could be at risk. How does the FOPH react?
“We need a clear situation for this so we can assess what it means,” said Kronig, deputy director of BAG. “The planning and implementation of vaccinators is basically a matter for the cantons. If there are bottlenecks in deliveries, it is because Switzerland does not receive deliveries on time. “
How are vaccination amounts calculated for cantons?
“The distribution should be fair and based on a distribution key that is based on the number of people and looks at how the risk groups are distributed,” says Kronig.
Could Switzerland be cut off from vaccine deliveries from the EU?
“We are following the situation very closely,” says Nora Kronig. “We will see how the debate develops within the EU and how we will position ourselves on it.”
Where is Switzerland in terms of delivering vaccine doses?
“We already have the 500,000 January vaccination doses announced in Switzerland,” says Kronig. “It appears that we will still get the promised deliveries between January and March, including the million doses of vaccines in February. But there may be fluctuations. “
Read about it: Berset’s vaccination order leads directly to collapse
Are cantons allowed to apply federal guidelines more strictly?
“Yes, in principle it is possible,” says Patrick Mathys. “I do not know the legal situation in the aforementioned canton of Graubünden.”
Question and answer session begins: No need for further action due to new mutations?
“We are currently anticipating a doubling every two weeks,” says Martin Ackermann. “Currently it is not possible to estimate what impact the new measures of January 18 had.”
Summary: Patrick Mathys, Head of the Crisis Management and International Cooperation Section of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).
The situation with the decline in the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths makes the federal government “cautiously optimistic,” as Patrick Mathys put it.
“We are going in the right direction, but unfortunately there is still a little problem with the pace.” So there is still no reason to “sit back and relax”. The reason for this is the number of breeders, which is still close to one, and the increasing number of cases with the mutated virus variant.
Even in hospitals, the pressure has not yet decreased significantly, Mathys told the Bundeshaus media. Almost a third of the people in intensive care units are Covid patients.
No Brazilian variant so far
According to Mathys, deaths are decreasing and in a month the number has been cut in half. There is still a “certain excess mortality rate among people over 65”. But this number is also decreasing. It is also positive that to date no cases of the Brazilian virus variant have been detected in Switzerland.
Mathys went on to warn: “If we want to reach a level with significantly lower numbers, we have to continue to be disciplined.” It still needs the efforts of the entire population.
The epidemic has yet to be contained in such a way as to ensure uninterrupted contact follow-up. “We still don’t have air in the system.”
Summary: Martin Ackermann, Chairman of the Working Group
The current situation is difficult to understand and assess. The rise in infections with the new variants should be slowed down and new infections should be further reduced, Martin Ackermann, chairman of the federal scientific working group, told the Bundeshaus media on Tuesday. That is why we still need “the same spirit as during the holidays.”
Contrary to expectations, the number of cases decreased during and after the end of the year holidays. Ackermann praised the behavior of the people so that the people of Switzerland faced difficult circumstances very responsibly.
The share of the British mutation in the total number of coronavirus infections is currently ten percent. This proportion will be 50 percent no later than March. It remains to be seen whether the total number of all infections will increase or decrease.
The impact of the Federal Council’s closing measures on January 18 cannot yet be estimated, Ackermann said. Whether the numbers will continue to decline in the medium term largely depends on whether the rise in mutated variants can be slowed down enough.
The doctor of the canton of Zug, Rudolf Hauri, reports from the cantons:
“The vaccines are working, they have no transmission damage,” Hauri explains. At the same time, however, he notes that there are challenges “that can arise unexpectedly in such a large project. Let’s not forget that we are in a special situation, there is much that is not well established yet ”. So not everyone who wants to get vaccinated could get vaccinated right away, says Hauri.
Keystone
Hauri sees difficulties especially in the implementation of the vaccination strategy, the logistics and the loss of vaccination doses, as well as in ensuring a second vaccination with the same vaccine.
Massive tests are up for debate
Cantons will be able to expand their testing capabilities. “There are massive tests in schools, social institutions, service providers and companies with frequent contact with customers to discuss,” says Hauri. FFP2 masks might be mandatory in certain circumstances.
“Now there are significantly expanded outbreak investigations, but also massive evidence of asymptomatic people that is under discussion.”
Finally, Ackermann talks about the R-value, which was 0.9 in mid-January: “That means that the number of infections in Switzerland is currently decreasing.” At the same time, however, British variant infections continue to increase. This could lead to the trend reversing again and the total number of infections continuing to rise. The effect of the additional measures from January 18 cannot yet be estimated.
Martin Ackermann points out the lack of clarity when it comes to the question of whether the British variant of the corona virus is more deadly than the conventional one. “I understand that this worries people. But we must refer to what is insured, ”says Ackermann. “The variants are more contagious. And a more contagious virus has more potential to kill people than a more deadly one. “
Your prognosis: In March, this variant will account for about half of all infections in Switzerland. “The British variant will be the dominant Corona variety by March at the latest.”
Keystone
Now the head of the working group, Martin Ackermann, speaks: “The situation is difficult to assess.” It is gratifying that the number of cases has decreased during the holidays. Distribute praise to the population. “Show what we are capable of.”
