Death rates among residents of Swiss nursing and retirement homes were 80% higher than normal in the last months of 2020, when the country was in the grip of a virulent second wave of Covid-19.
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During the whole course of last year, some 16% more deaths (4,978) were recorded at such institutions while 8% more people died in hospital (2,015) compared with 2019, largely as a result of the pandemic.
Deaths rates were particularly severe in nursing and retirement homes from mid-October to the end of the year (+80%). In the last two months of 2020, hospitals recorded over 50% more deaths than the same period in 2019.
These are the findings of a reportExternal link from the Federal Statistical Office into the impact of Covid-19 on the Swiss healthcare services in 2020.
The figures clearly show that hospitals as well as nursing and retirement homes for the elderly bore the brunt of the pandemic.
Intensive care units (ICUs) at hospitals came under particular stress during both the first and second waves.
Between March 16 and April 5, 2020, 51% more intensive care hours were logged compared with 2019. The period between October 26 and November saw a rise of nearly 42%.
As a result, the government ordered non-essential hospital appointments to be postponed. This meant that 72,000 fewer patients were booked into Swiss hospitals last year compared with 2019.
Hospitals suffered financial losses of CHF800 million ($869 million), only a fraction of which was covered by state-funded compensation.
Nursing and retirement homes ended up with combined losses of CHF380 million, according to the report.
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