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The corona virus is spreading alarmingly and rapidly in Switzerland again. The canton of Bern reacts to the requirement for masks in all indoor public spaces, Zug prescribes masks in stores.
Due to the colder temperatures, people spend more time in heated rooms. This increases the risk of transmission, says epidemiologist Emma Hodcroft.
Federal officials have called the situation fragile but stable in recent weeks. The latest increase in the number of cases shows what this can mean. After a slight relaxation, the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) has reported more new infections since late September. On Wednesday the number of positive tests was 1,077. With more tests being done today than in spring, the value cannot be compared to the beginning of April, when more than 1,000 new infections were recorded for the last time in a day. With the high number of cases, the risk increases that the cantons will be affected by contact tracing and can no longer trace the chains of infection. Then there is the threat of stricter measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Epidemiologist Marcel Tanner says: “The situation is very worrying, but not alarming.” As long as it is possible to understand drive chains, there is no serious problem.
Mandatory seating in bars and clubs.
The densely populated canton of Bern and the canton of Zug are now reacting to the latest developments. Starting Monday, Bern will introduce a mask requirement in all indoor public access spaces. These include shops, malls, post offices, museums, theaters, cinemas, and churches. Also included are railway stations, including platforms and underpasses. In Zug, masks are a must in shops and shopping centers. 11 cantons have now introduced an expanded mask requirement. Bern is also tightening the reins in the catering sector: in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, seats will be mandatory in the future. Guests can remove the mask when seated at the table. In the canton of Bern, according to the cantonal medical office, infections occur mainly in family and friends. But the corona virus is also transmitted in sports clubs and at work, especially in break rooms.
At the moment, one can only speculate on the reasons for the sharp increase in the number of cases. Experts suspect that the sudden change in weather in late September will play a role. Due to the colder temperatures, more and more people are in heated rooms. This increases the risk of transmission, says epidemiologist Emma Hodcroft of the University of Basel. Because Switzerland has been in a delicate balancing act with the increasing number of cases since the summer, a change like the weather could be enough to turn the situation around as it is now.
“Pull the belt”
Unlike in the summer, when the number of cases soared, especially in Geneva, Vaud and Zurich, they are now increasing on a broad front. 14 cantons have already exceeded the limit of 60 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. Therefore, they are considered a risk area according to the Swiss definition. For example, the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, which for a long time was only affected by Corona on the outskirts, saw an increase in the number of cases in a short time. The virus is spreading more evenly today, which makes fighting it more difficult than if it only occurs selectively.
As a result of the latest events, fears are mounting that there will be drastic restrictions again. Tanner advises the federal government to remind the population to adhere much better to distance and hygiene measures. “We should all ‘get out’ again.” If chains of infection can be identified early, no national action is necessary. Specific action is required that is appropriate to the situation.
