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Number of cases rising sharply in Bosnia: Sarajevo enters lockdown
In view of the recent rapid increase in the number of new corona infections in Bosnia-Herzegovina, authorities in and around the capital Sarajevo, as well as in the country’s Serbian administrative unit, have swiftly tightened precautionary measures. In Sarajevo, restaurants must close from Friday evening. The night curfew has been extended by two hours, now it applies from 9 pm (CET), reports the portal klix.ba. The mask requirement now also applies outdoors. Meetings were banned and schools were closed. This lock should initially apply for 15 days.
In the mostly Serbian part of the country, the Republika Srpska, the number of participants in public gatherings was reduced to 30 and the sale of alcohol was banned between 10 pm and 6 am Gyms have to close.
Legend:
The number of cases in the region around Bosnian capital Sarajevo has risen sharply in recent weeks and hospitals are on edge.
Keystone
Senior Vice President Gastrosuisse and cantons disappointed: reactions to Federal Council decision
At the moment, the Federal Council is taking no further steps to ease the fight against the corona virus. This is also met with a lack of understanding. The cantons are disappointed with the hesitant initial steps. The SVP speaks of a “slap in the face”, Gastrosuisse of an “immense disappointment”. However, for the workers’ association Travail Suisse, the measures are understandable.
More than a million deaths from Covid in Europe
In Europe, more than a million people have died from or with the corona virus. A total of at least 37.2 million infections have been reported since the pandemic began, according to a Reuters poll based on official data. The Europe region comprises 51 countries. These include Russia, Great Britain, the 27 member states of the European Union, and other countries. The region accounts for 35.5 percent of deaths and 30.5 percent of all infections worldwide.
Full house in Moscow Stadium – no mask and walking distance
A concert at the Moscow Olympic Stadium with tens of thousands of people in the midst of the pandemic caused outrage in sectors of politics and the population. Many spectators were not wearing masks. Prominent liberal politician Ilya Yashin called for investigations to be carried out and, if necessary, held accountable for violations of the conditions.
Several prominent Russian singers performed at the stadium on Thursday night. Russia remembered the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea seven years ago. The head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, was also on stage, without a mask.
A reporter for the Echo Moskvy radio station reported that there were practically no free seats in the stands. There was hardly any distance in the audience. Only a few would have used mouth and nose protection. The stadium has a capacity for 81,000 people.
Legend:
Russian President Vladimir Putin was also part of the show at a Moscow stadium.
Reuters
WHO joins Astra-Zeneca
The World Health Organization (WHO) committee responsible for vaccine safety is behind the Astra-Zeneca corona vaccine. This “continues to have a positive benefit-risk profile and offers enormous potential to prevent infections and reduce deaths worldwide,” he said after the meeting of independent experts on Tuesday and Thursday. Side effects will continue to be considered.
Yesterday, the European Medicines Agency also confirmed that it was still convinced of Astra-Zeneca and that Germany lifted the temporary ban on vaccination.
Meanwhile, however, individual countries remain critical. Finland announced today that it will temporarily suspend vaccines with Astra-Zeneca.
Denmark sticks to Astra Zeneca stop for now
Denmark, like Norway and Sweden, does not initially leave anyone in the country to be vaccinated against Covid-19 with the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. Despite the positive decision of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Denmark adheres to a 14-day suspension of vaccination with the preparation, which will apply until next week.
This is done on the basis of a precautionary principle, said Danish health administration director Søren Brostrøm at a press conference in Copenhagen on Friday.
Press conference ended
The press conference is over. You can read about today’s Federal Council resolutions here. Thanks for your attention. You will stay informed about the coronavirus at srf.ch, in the news app or here on the live ticker.
Does Switzerland pass the marshmallow test?
A journalist puts the marshmallow test into play. A child is given a marshmallow that he can eat right away. However, if the child waits a quarter of an hour, he will be given two marshmallows. Does Switzerland pass the marshmallow test? Does that mean: is the population patient enough?
Berset accepts the question. “It tends to be yes. If we are patient and careful now, it will help us to have a better situation in a month. That would allow us to take a bigger opening step in a month than now and have two marshmallows. But all of that is still very theoretical. “
Is there too little evidence?
Basel pharmacies reportedly have very little evidence, says Nathalie Christen, SRF correspondent in the Federal Parliament. “There may be bottlenecks due to logistical problems. But I don’t think it’s a system problem, ”says Mathys. The number of tests will increase, Berset said. “There should be enough evidence available,” Mathys explains.
The Astra-Zeneca vaccine has not yet been approved
Switzerland also purchases five million doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. A journalist wants to know if Switzerland is also affected by corresponding delays in deliveries.
Switzerland is still awaiting the approval decision of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine by Swissmedic. “We are on the same delivery schedule as EU countries and we only import this vaccine once it has been approved,” replied Nora Kronig, Director of International Affairs at FOPH.
Berset: “Understand the position of the cantons”
In a first statement, the cantons regret that the Federal Council has not made more openings. “He looked better a week ago than today,” Berset said. Today the situation is much clearer. But he understands the position of the cantons.
Berset: “We deal with closures in a different way”
A journalist emphasizes that the approval of the measures by the population has never been higher. Wouldn’t it be important at this point for residents to understand the Federal Council’s strategy?
“We always try to be consistent,” contradicts Berset. “For a year, however, we have always found a point where it cannot be entirely coherent because we always react to the current situation and face closures in a differentiated way. It would be more consistent to keep everything closed. “
Mathys: “The fatigue of the crown also influences”
Mathys added that there are three main reasons for the worsening situation. First, the mastery of the new variants with their best transferability. “So even small opening steps lead to an increase in contacts. Where more contacts take place, more transmissions take place. And there is a certain Corona fatigue of the population and a notable decrease in compliance with the rules. At the same time, with the vaccination and the testing strategy, we have two elements with which we are trying to take countermeasures ”.
Berset: “The Federal Council wants the same as Parliament”
“The Federal Council wants the same thing as Parliament,” Berset said. Try to develop a stable situation over the next several weeks.
Why is the situation deteriorating today?
“We are not in a totally unexpected situation. Scientists said earlier this year that the new variants would be dominant. We knew of scenarios in which these more contagious variants can lead to more numbers of cases. This is definitely an important factor in the deterioration of the situation, ”explains Berset. The opening of the stores also led to greater mobility of the population and could also have an impact.
BAG Announces New Vaccination Numbers
From March 11 to 17, 142,550 doses of Covid-19 vaccine were administered in Switzerland. This stems from information the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) posted on its website on Friday.
An average of 20,364 vaccinations were carried out per day. Compared to the previous week, the vaccination rate dropped by seven percent. As of Wednesday, a total of 1,181,090 vaccinations had been carried out.
So far, 433,411 people have been fully vaccinated, that is, five percent of the population has already received two doses of vaccine. So far, only the first vaccination has been carried out in 314,268 people. Already delivered to the cantons but not yet used, there are currently 155,185 doses of vaccine. In addition, the federal government still stores 52,050 doses of vaccination.
Berset: virus mutations, studies show, significantly more deadly
There are new studies that virus mutations are 50 percent more deadly, Berset explains. “That is a great danger for the elderly, for example.” The transmission of the new variants has increased significantly, according to Mathys. But you still have to be careful when arguing with fixed numbers.
Why is the opening of terraces not allowed?
Why is it less dangerous when 15 people are having a private party in the forest or ten are at home than when four people are sitting on the terrace of a restaurant? Asks a journalist.
“A limit of five people at home is a massive restriction of fundamental rights. That is not right. So we want to cancel that now. However, in the current situation, great caution is required in order not to lose control ”, answers Berset. It does not go into restaurants that have to remain closed.
Berset: the use of intensive care beds is only one of the four criteria
During the consultation, the cantons said that an important criterion was the occupation of the hospitals, notes a journalist. “We have four criteria, and these have been recognized by the cantons,” explains Berset. Parliament asked for the criteria to be transparent. All criteria are important.
Another journalist explains that the positivity rate is currently below five on the home page. Berset explains that the relevant number is the seven-day average and that it is currently greater than 5.
Why wait when hospitals have space?
A journalist wants to know “what is the risk of maintaining a lockdown for an entire catering industry when there have been so few hospital admissions lately.” Berset contradicts the word blockade: “In neighboring countries there are curfews, closed shops and, therefore, much stricter measures than in Switzerland.”
“This is the first time we have considered re-allowing certain activities as the numbers increase. This is based on risk: we take a risk, but soon we will be able to take it with the test and the vaccination campaign. Now it is too early for that because not enough people have been vaccinated, ”explains Berset. The good situation with hospitalizations alone is not enough. But the risk of the healthcare system becoming overloaded has decreased.
