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Federal President Guy Parmelin exchanges ideas with Austria
According to tradition, Federal President Guy Parmelin’s first trip abroad in the year in office took him to Vienna. There he exchanged ideas with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen on Tuesday about the crown pandemic, among other things.
The two sides learned of the steps to contain the pandemic and how to deal with the economic consequences, as announced by the Department of Economics, Education and Research (EAER). Both also highlighted the importance of European solidarity to overcome the current crisis. A possible European vaccination card was also discussed.
Berset: “We want more tests to be done”
During a visit to Zurich airport, Federal Councilor Alain Berset announced that the federal government wanted to further relax the criteria for mass testing. Progress must also be made with the approval of self-assessments. “We want even more testing to be done,” Berset said at a joint press conference with Zurich District President Silvia Steiner (CVP) and Health Director Natalie Rickli (SVP) at Zurich airport.
Rickli previously described the current regulations for repetitive testing in companies and organizations as too restrictive. For example, the federal government only assumes the costs if the protection concepts cannot be fulfilled in a company. Berset also expressed hope that the self-tests will pass soon.
Canton of Bern: tests in different schools
In the Länggass school building in Bern, the Cantonal Medical Service (KAD) of the Canton of Bern ordered a second comprehensive test of students in all three cycles due to new positive cases, as announced by the canton., Link opens in a new window Testing will take place on Tuesday, the school day will be closed.
In the building of the Pestalozzi school in Bern, tomorrow, Wednesday, 16 classes would be tested because four cases of different classes had been known. In the municipality of Oberthal examinations were also ordered for the students of a class for positive cases, continues the canton.
Isle of Man is no longer crown free
Due to unresolved corona cases, a blockade will be applied again this Wednesday on the British island of the Isle of Man. Schools, as well as non-essential shops and service providers would have to close, pubs and restaurants should only offer Takeaway meals said the government of the crown property in the Irish Sea.
Distance rules and mask requirements apply again. Initially, the measures would take effect for three weeks and would be constantly reviewed. On the island of around 85,000 residents, all crown measurements ended on February 1.
Austria no longer wants to depend on the EU for vaccines
Austria no longer wants to depend on the European Union for corona vaccines in the future. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz criticized that the EU pharmaceutical authority EMA was too slow with approval and that there were bottlenecks in delivery for pharmaceutical manufacturers. “We have to prepare for more mutations and we should no longer rely solely on the EU for the production of second-generation vaccines.” Kurz announced close cooperation with Denmark and Israel.
The EU Commission is also being criticized in Germany because it is responsible for procuring corona vaccines and the quantities are initially insufficient. The vaccination campaign in the EU is much slower than in Israel or Great Britain, for example. But the Commission downplayed the Austro-Danish initiative.
Status of benchmarks for greater flexibility
The Federal Council wants to gradually relax the crown measures. Shops and museums were allowed to reopen from March 1. The next opening step, which includes the opening of restaurants, should only be possible if the epidemiological situation allows it. To determine this, reference values were established for four criteria:
- The 14-day incidence counts all new cases reported in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants and should not be higher on March 17 than on March 1 (160.3).
- The positive rate, that is, the proportion of positive tests, must be less than 5 percent.
- The effective reproduction number, called the R-value, must be below 1 in an average of 7 days.
- Additionally, Covid 19 patients can occupy a maximum of 250 intensive care beds in Switzerland.
In our dashboard, you can see at any time whether the conditions for the additional opening steps are currently in place.
New numbers on vaccination
At that time the federal press conference ended. The BAG also released new figures on Covid 19 vaccination in the afternoon. Switzerland received 1,164,075 cans. 971,850 doses of vaccination have been delivered to the cantons, so far 807,799 have been fully vaccinated. The vaccination quota in Switzerland per 100 inhabitants is now 9.34.
Is it true that students from Canton Zug no longer have to be quarantined?
Hauri believes that federal protective measures continue to apply. Students who tested positive would of course have to be isolated. Thanks to serial testing, companions would not have to be quarantined either. Lévy also adds that these massive tests must be attractive. At the same time, however, he also emphasizes that this rule only applies to the same class. Parents would have to remain in quarantine if the child tests positive.
BAG would like more tests in companies
Zurich and St. Gallen have not yet started broad-based testing for companies, notes a journalist. What does the federal government say about this strategy? “It depends on the cantons,” says Lévy. Wherever people are, there can be broadcasts. One wishes they were tested more.
How do you explain the sharp decline in hospitalizations and deaths?
Regarding the decrease in hospitalizations and deaths, Virginie Masserey refers to the lag with respect to the number of cases. If the number of cases stagnates or even increases, the effects on hospital admissions and deaths would be seen in two weeks. But it is also possible that, thanks to vaccinations, these numbers will not increase as much. But it also depends on the behavior of the population.
Why aren’t specialists from the working group present?
Why is there no specialist in the working group at the press conference? A journalist wants to know if this is a coincidence. “That is pure coincidence,” they say. The media officer said that nothing more would be said on this issue in this context. The experts from the working group will be present again next week.
Are the seroprevalence numbers higher than expected?
A journalist asks if the seroprevalence numbers are higher than expected. “There were no big surprises,” responds Milo Puhan. Also because in the course of the study he would have had an idea of the number not reported. The studies would now cover six to nine months, and time will tell whether infected people will have antibodies in their blood for longer.
Is it impossible to fully track?
A journalist would like to know why the infection chains cannot yet be fully traced. “That’s less to do with capabilities,” says Hauri, but “it’s about the information having gaps.” There are still problems here.
Why are you so passive when passing new tests?
Anne Lévy says that one is naturally in conversation with companies. The ball is now in the companies, they have to present files.
BAG: The vaccination plan must be respected until the summer.
The question and answer session begins. When can everyone who is willing to be vaccinated in Switzerland be vaccinated? “Our estimates remain the same until everyone who is willing to get vaccinated can do so in the summer,” Masserey said. Another question is whether the Astra-Zeneca vaccine will be approved soon (or approved at all) in Switzerland. The review is up to Swissmedic and a decision must be made in the next few weeks.
Hauri: “massive tests have to be repetitive”
Hauri also talks about the corona tests. The goal is to use massive tests to detect infections before a major outbreak. But that only works if they repeat repeatedly at clear time intervals. In the canton of Zug, for example, schoolchildren and canton employees would be salivated twice a week. The effort is great, but thanks to the lack of quarantine, the lessons would be less affected.
Hauri: “Dark clouds could cloud joy again too quickly”
Now Rudolf Hauri, Cantonal Doctor in Zug and President of the Cantonal Doctors Association, speaks: “We are all happy with the change in measures and the spring that is in the air. However, for us to enjoy this, we must continue to adhere to the current measures. Dark clouds could cloud joy too quickly. “
Crown mutations are slowly taking over, Hauri continues. Contacts cannot always be fully disclosed. Since Switzerland still has very few vaccinations, we would still have to drive with the parking brake on.
How common is Long Covid?
Puhan says a few more words about Long Covid. The whole thing is still difficult to understand. Little is known about it. The question of the frequency of long covid is not so easy to answer. Frequency status varies by definition, according to Puhan. “It will be a great task in the future to be able to answer this question.” Puhan mentions some studies on the subject. “In the coming months we will get more numbers on the frequency.” Risk factors with Long Covid are, for example, previous illnesses.
Puhan: “90 percent still have antibodies in their blood six months later”
Milo Puhan, director of the Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention at the University of Zurich, now assumes the position. Provides information on a research program at 14 Swiss universities. Examine the spread and influence of the corona pandemic. A standardized procedure is used to be able to compare individual regions of Switzerland.
Currently one is at the end of phase three on seroprevalence or antibodies. You can already see the effects of vaccines. Two more phases are also planned. The next one in summer, the fifth phase will follow in the fall.
In individual regions, the number of people with seroprevalence would have tripled. The age group older than 75 years would already have a higher seroprevalence thanks to vaccinations. One “good news” from the study shows that 90 percent of patients from February to August still had antibodies in their blood six months later. However, 15 percent would not develop any detectable immunity with antibodies.
Almost all nursing home residents are now vaccinated
The new variants are more contagious, so it may be more difficult to control them, Masserey says. Contact tracing will be intensified and vaccination is going well. “971,000 doses of vaccines were distributed in the cantons.” In nursing homes, virtually all residents are vaccinated, Masserey says.
The nicer and warmer weather is good news. We want to thank everyone for their efforts, but we also want to ask for continued vigilance, Masserey said.
