Nartey shows understanding for those affected by Long Covid
In the SRF program “Club”, Linda Nartey, the new deputy director of the BAG, is touched by the experiences of those affected by Long Covid – and apologizes for omissions.
Florence Isler, Vice President of the “Long Covid Switzerland” association, and Monika Lehmann, a nurse who has been unable to work since she was infected in December 2020, impressively describe their experiences with the disease: “It’s a comprehensive exhaustion, as if I had Pudding in the head,” says Lehmann. Even now, after a year, she still finds it difficult to speak at some moments.
According to Isler, many of those affected feel left alone and lack the support of the authorities. It is also difficult for many of those affected to understand that Long Covid was the focus of a FOPH media conference for the first time today.
Vice-Director Nartey says: “I’m very sorry that there were so many negative experiences, nobody wanted that. Sometimes we probably didn’t react in different places as was expected – and how one could have reacted.”
The Czech Republic adheres to strict corona entry rules
Although the government in the Czech Republic is relaxing the corona rules, no changes are currently planned to the strict entry regulations. A spokesman for the Ministry of Health justified this by saying that almost all European countries are currently assigned to the red category on the so-called “Corona traffic light”.
Foreign tourists are still required to present a negative PCR test result upon entry. This even applies to vaccinated people as long as they have not received a booster vaccination against Covid-19. A second test at intervals of five to seven days after arrival is also mandatory for those who have not been vaccinated. Different rules apply to children.
The Czech Republic notices the effects of the omicron wave. According to official figures, there were 2,145 new corona infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days.
In hospital for long covid
According to estimates, more than 100,000 people in Switzerland suffer from Long Covid. Tiredness, insomnia, muscle weakness – the symptoms are varied. In severe cases, there is sometimes only a stay in the clinic.
According to Marco Laures, Head of Pneumology at the Barmelweid Clinic, in addition to physical rehabilitation, it is important that patients learn to deal with these new limitations and develop strategies to slowly increase their performance. A report from the Barmelweid rehabilitation clinic.
Many cantons want extensive easing next week
Freedom calls: A certain pandemic fatigue is not only noticeable among individual residents, but also in the cantons.
Many cantons are in favor of the Federal Council’s more drastic opening step, according to which all protective measures are to be lifted in one step as early as February 17th.
The consultation runs until tomorrow. The Federal Council will decide on February 16 whether the corona measures should be lifted. Here you will find an overview of the cantons that are demanding extensive easing. As soon as other cantons make their views known, we will inform you here in the ticker.
Canada’s prime minister defends himself against corona demos
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls for an end to the protests against corona measures and vaccination regulations. “Canadians have a right to protest, to disagree with their government and to express their opinions,” Trudeau wrote on Tuesday TwitterLink opens in a new window.
«We will always defend this right. But to be clear: you have no right to block our economy, or our democracy, or the daily lives of our fellow citizens. It has to stop.”
Thousands of people have been demonstrating in Canada against corona measures and vaccination regulations for days. With trucks and other vehicles, they blocked, among other things, parts of downtown Ottawa.
Legend:
The subject of the protests in Canada are vaccination requirements for truck drivers and the government’s overall pandemic restrictions.
key stone
The canton of Glarus wants to see the masks fall
The government council of the canton of Glarus is in favor of lifting all corona measures in a single step. He writes that in his response to the Federal Council. For the population, a gradual lifting of the measures is too complicated and difficult to understand.
Specifically, the government believes that corona certificates should no longer be issued at national level. They would no longer have any meaning domestically. The obligation to wear a mask should also fall. In cantonal terms, the executive only wants to check whether masks can be retained in health facilities.
Legend:
Mask requirement indoors: If the Glarner government council has its way, this should fall on February 17th.
key stone
Canton Bern reduces vaccination options at the end of February
The demand for vaccinations against the coronavirus has decreased. The canton of Bern therefore wants to close the additional vaccination sites that have been set up, for example in shopping centers, at the end of February.
The canton’s vaccination truck is also taking a break after completing its February tour, as announced by the Bernese health department. However, the truck will continue to be kept ready for special operations.
The vaccination and booster centers in Bern Island, Medin Biel and the Thun vaccination center in the culture and congress center will continue to be in operation. All types of vaccinations and boosters are possible in these three cantonal vaccination centers, including child vaccinations and vaccinations with the Janssen vaccine.
BL and BS disagree on relaxation of measures
The Canton Basel country basically wants to have the special situation and practically all protective measures lifted in a single step. This is what the Basel Bidder government writes in its response to the consultation. However, certain measures such as repetitive testing should remain in place to protect particularly vulnerable population groups.
Baselland is also asking the Federal Council to set a transitional period between the decision and its entry into force. The government considers the date of February 17 proposed by the Federal Council to be premature and is in favor of it coming into force on February 26.
The Canton Basel city wants a gradual relaxation of the measures. The Basel government writes in its statement that lifting all measures is too risky at this point in time given the still high burden in the hospitals. It is advisable to proceed step by step in order to reduce the risks of further escalation.
Freiburg also wants the measures to be lifted
The cantonal government of Friborg wants the corona measures to be lifted immediately, but only under certain conditions. The State Council states this in its response to the Federal Council for consultation.
Freiburg wants to make these extensive easing dependent on a favorable development of the health situation, as the State Council announced. If the number of cases continues to rise, the lifting should be carried out in two steps. In addition, people and health facilities at risk should continue to be protected, in particular by wearing masks. Mask wearing is also to be retained in public transport and in the cultural sector for the time being.
Central Swiss cantons want to lift measures at once
The governments of Zug, Schwyz, Uri, Obwalden and Nidwalden have had enough of most corona measures. In their statements, they let the federal government know that it should lift the restrictions in one step on February 17th.
According to the Uri government council, the obligation to obtain a certificate for restaurants, events or leisure activities, the obligation to wear a mask in all indoor spaces open to the public, the restrictions on private meetings and the requirement for a permit for major events are to be dropped.
However, masks should continue to be worn on public transport. The Schwyz government council also wants that. However, the Zug and Obwalden governments are against the obligation to wear masks on public transport. In Zug, unlike the Nidwalden government, it is also considered premature to return from the special to the normal situation.
The press conference is over
The experts say goodbye. Next week there will be no point de press on Tuesday. We will continue to keep you up to date with news about the corona virus here in the ticker.
The summary of today’s Point de Presse can be found here: This is what federal experts say about Long Covid.
Does the lifting of the quarantine obligation affect the number of cases?
‘It’s too early to draw any conclusions of that nature. Nothing can be said yet about the lifting of the quarantine obligation. There are other precautionary measures that contact persons comply with themselves,” Virginie Masserey, Head of the Infection Control Section at the BAG, answers the question.
No comment on opening proposals
Question for the consultation: From an epidemiological point of view, what do you think of the federal government’s proposed opening steps? Virginie Masserey says nothing about this.
Are there factors that promote Long Covid?
“There are risk factors that promote Long Covid. The disease is common in women who have a high body mass index (BMI) and had severe symptoms during the infection phase,” Masserey replies.
Approximately 1700 IV registrations related to Long Covid
So far, around 1,700 people have reported to the IV on the grounds of long Covid, says Corinne Zbären, Deputy Head of the Disability Insurance Business Unit at the Federal Social Insurance Office BSV. According to this, two to three percent of the registrations last year were long-Covid-related. It is very difficult to make statements for the coming year. The disease and the reasons leading to Long Covid would change.
How many hospitalized people have omicron?
The data we receive from the hospitals shows that a very large proportion of cases are due to omicron. Omicron affects 90 to 100 percent of hospitalized people. We find that omicron cases are also increasing in intensive care units. But the risk of landing on the IPS is generally higher with the Delta variant than with the Omicron,” replies Virginie Masserey.
Take: “There is still no evidence for omicron and long covid”
A journalist wants to know how high the proportion of omicron patients is in hospitals (not in intensive care units). Basically, the majority of people are currently suffering from omicron, says Mayssam Nehme. According to the clinic director, there is still no evidence for omicron and long covid.
Are we past the omicron wave?
In yesterday’s assessment of the situation, the task force wrote that the R value was well below 1. This could indicate that the peak of the omicron wave has already been passed. What do the BAG experts say about this?
“I already said today that maybe we have passed the zenith. There is a downward trend. Nevertheless, we should remain cautious,” replies Virginie Masserey.
How many people are affected by Long Covid after falling ill in Switzerland?
Milo Puhan repeats the numbers: Out of 100 infected people, 25 would have long covid. Most would recover, but not all. This would also correspond to a comparison with foreign studies. In the case of extrapolations, the impressive numbers give.
Do vaccinated people suffer from Long Covid as badly as unvaccinated people?
“A corona vaccination can reduce the risk of Long Covid, we can see that. However, there is not much data on this yet. Many studies still leave a certain amount of uncertainty as to the extent to which vaccination actually reduces the risk,” epidemiologist Milo Puhan answers the question.