A medical staff member puts her gloves on before taking care of patients infected with Covid-19 at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Clinique Oceane private hospital in Vannes, western France, on April 20, 2021. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP)
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
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The government unveils its three-step strategy toward ‘normalisation’
The plan consists of the “protection phase” in effect until the end of May, followed by the “stabilisation phase” until the end of July, and “normalisation phase” to be implemented by the end of August, at which point Covid-related restrictions “can be largely lifted”, the Federal Council announced.
However, authorities stressed that each phase can be accomplished only if the population is willing to be vaccinated.
#DécisionCF#CoronaInfoCH Le CF a établi un plan d’action en 3 phases, envoyé en consultation aux cantons. La durée de chacune d’elles dépendra de la campagne de vaccination et de la volonté de la population de se faire vacciner. https://t.co/cQzFlqbwjS (BK)
Pandemic is mostly — but not yet totally — under control, numbers show
Despite the increasing number of coronavirus cases, Switzerland’s general epidemiological situation is improving.
Health authorities assess the state of the pandemic based on several criteria.
Just days ago, only one of these conditions had been met, but now half of them are fulfilled.
Number of beds occupied in intensive care (average over 15 days): 214. Threshold: 250
New daily hospitalisations, combined (last 7 days): 51.4. Threshold: 55.3
Number of daily deaths (last 7 days): 5.7. Threshold: 7.3
However, norms were exceeded in the number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants (over 14 days): 331.88. Threshold: 229.9, as well as the R-rate: 1.10. Threshold: 1.00
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Swiss Federal Railways are expanding their fleet
Switzerland’s railways (SBB) are spending 1.3 billion francs to buy 60 additional two-story InterRegio (IR) trains, supplementing the existing fleet of 93 IRs already in service.
Forty-one new cars will comply with the requirements of the Disabled Equality Act (LHand) in mainline traffic. This law mandates, among other things, that people with reduced mobility can independently access trains by 2023.
Also, to solve the capacity problems in certain high-traffic regions, 19 new trains be will be put into service.
More two-deckers will be put into service. Photo by SBB
Zurich to provide medical care to illegal immigrants
Municipal authorities have approved a 4.6-million-franc pilot project to provide health services to undocumented migrants and others who don’t have health insurance — a programme similar to the one already in existence in Geneva.
Officials estimate that between 11,000 and 14,000 people in Zurich don’t have health insurance and would therefore be eligible for the programme.
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More two-deckers will be put into service. Photo by SBB
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