The Swiss voice in the world since 1935

Swiss nurses with Covid-19 urged to keep working

old woman sitting on bed and nurse wearing a face mask
The pandemic is putting extra pressure on staff at nursing homes. (archive photo) Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Across Switzerland, care home staff are reporting for work even if they themselves are suffering from the coronavirus.

According to the SonntagsZeitung Sunday newspaper, the management at a care home in canton Bern has asked several ill nurses – who tested positive for Covid-19 – to come to work anyway. It was not an isolated case of staff not isolating themselves. The canton of Fribourg has also approved the use of sick staff, wrote the newspaper.

More

“We have corresponding reports from various cantons,” confirmed Yvonne Ribi of the Swiss Association of Nursing Professionals. She told the SonntagsZeitung that she knew of institutions in several cantons where, despite a positive test result and clear symptoms, nurses were urged to work in a nursing home anyway. Ribi condemned the practice.

The national centre for infection prevention, Swissnoso, provides for exceptions in the event of a relevant shortage of health personnel. However, this applies only to acute hospitals.

“Other non-acute medical facilities, such as nursing homes, should continue to follow the recommendations issued by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH),” state the Swissnoso guidelines. The FOPH insists on strict isolation for ill people.

More

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump

More

WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs

This content was published on The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.

Read more: WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
Gold exporters wait, the metal may not be taxed

More

Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all

This content was published on Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.

Read more: Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR