Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
More than 7,000 children quarantined in Switzerland
Latest data shows that at least 7,353 schoolchildren aged between four and 15 years have been placed in quarantine throughout Switzerland.
The actual number is probably much higher though, according to Watson news site, which added up numbers from individual cantons.
That’s because statistics from large cantons like Zurich are Graubünden are missing, and some cantons don’t report quarantine cases by age group.
The number of 10 to 19 year olds has risen particularly sharply since the end of the summer vacation.
“For two weeks now, the number of cases has also been increasing among those under 10 years of age more than in any other age group,” said scientist Daniel Theis.
Number of fully vaccinated people in Switzerland slowly rising
The extension of the Covid certificate, which went into effect on Monday, prompted increasing numbers of people to get their shots.
While on August 31st, only 50.92 percent of Switzerland’s population was fully vaccinated, that number crept up to 53.03 percent on Wednesday, according to the Federal Office of Public Health.
It is still lower than vaccination rate in neighbouring countries, which exceeds 60 percent, but health officials hope the pace of inoculations in Switzerland will pick up within the next few weeks
READ MORE: Covid-19 vaccines: Why is Switzerland lagging behind other EU countries?
Zurich doesn’t want to scare off foreign tourists
As the Federal Council is debating the extension of Covid certificate to travel, possibly introducing such measures as testing and even quarantine for unvaccinated arrivals from abroad, Zurich officials said they are against disproportionate measures that could harm the local economy.
While they support screening, they also argue that unvaccinated tourists should only be required to test on a “risk-based” basis — that is, only if they come from areas with high numbers of infections.
In addition, Zurich authorities are against a quarantine obligation, as it would “cause massive damage to the local businesses and tourism”.
READ MORE: Readers’ verdict: The best and worst things about life in Zurich
Swiss economy continues to recover
The persistence of the Covid pandemic has not prevented Switzerland's economy from continuing to recover, according to analysis from Credit Suisse bank.
This upward trend should continue in "large parts of the economy", thanks to the vaccination campaign, the adaptation capacities of companies, and despite the restrictions in certain branches.
“A recovery is now underway as more areas of the economy reopen – a process accelerated by higher consumer spending. The majority of private consumption is therefore likely to return to normal levels”, Credit Suisse said.
How sweet it is: American donuts at Coop
Starting next week, Dunkin' Donuts will be sold at some branches of Coop supermarkets.
Five varieties will be available: Strawberry Sprinkle and Cocoa Strawberry Star, Cinnamon Cookies, Cocoa Bliss and Cocoa Hazelnut.
The donuts will be sold in packs of two (4.50 francs) and four (8.95).
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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More than 7,000 children quarantined in Switzerland
Latest data shows that at least 7,353 schoolchildren aged between four and 15 years have been placed in quarantine throughout Switzerland.
The actual number is probably much higher though, according to Watson news site, which added up numbers from individual cantons.
That’s because statistics from large cantons like Zurich are Graubünden are missing, and some cantons don’t report quarantine cases by age group.
The number of 10 to 19 year olds has risen particularly sharply since the end of the summer vacation.
“For two weeks now, the number of cases has also been increasing among those under 10 years of age more than in any other age group,” said scientist Daniel Theis.
Number of fully vaccinated people in Switzerland slowly rising
The extension of the Covid certificate, which went into effect on Monday, prompted increasing numbers of people to get their shots.
While on August 31st, only 50.92 percent of Switzerland’s population was fully vaccinated, that number crept up to 53.03 percent on Wednesday, according to the Federal Office of Public Health.
It is still lower than vaccination rate in neighbouring countries, which exceeds 60 percent, but health officials hope the pace of inoculations in Switzerland will pick up within the next few weeks
READ MORE: Covid-19 vaccines: Why is Switzerland lagging behind other EU countries?
Zurich doesn’t want to scare off foreign tourists
As the Federal Council is debating the extension of Covid certificate to travel, possibly introducing such measures as testing and even quarantine for unvaccinated arrivals from abroad, Zurich officials said they are against disproportionate measures that could harm the local economy.
While they support screening, they also argue that unvaccinated tourists should only be required to test on a “risk-based” basis — that is, only if they come from areas with high numbers of infections.
In addition, Zurich authorities are against a quarantine obligation, as it would “cause massive damage to the local businesses and tourism”.
READ MORE: Readers’ verdict: The best and worst things about life in Zurich
Swiss economy continues to recover
The persistence of the Covid pandemic has not prevented Switzerland's economy from continuing to recover, according to analysis from Credit Suisse bank.
This upward trend should continue in "large parts of the economy", thanks to the vaccination campaign, the adaptation capacities of companies, and despite the restrictions in certain branches.
“A recovery is now underway as more areas of the economy reopen – a process accelerated by higher consumer spending. The majority of private consumption is therefore likely to return to normal levels”, Credit Suisse said.
How sweet it is: American donuts at Coop
Starting next week, Dunkin' Donuts will be sold at some branches of Coop supermarkets.
Five varieties will be available: Strawberry Sprinkle and Cocoa Strawberry Star, Cinnamon Cookies, Cocoa Bliss and Cocoa Hazelnut.
The donuts will be sold in packs of two (4.50 francs) and four (8.95).
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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