Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

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

Swiss adults above average in basic skills

More

Swiss adults above average in basic skills

This content was published on In an international comparison, Swiss adults perform above average in the basic skills of reading, everyday math and problem solving.

Read more: Swiss adults above average in basic skills
Parliament clears the bill for a new start with E-ID

More

Swiss parliament clears way for new start with e-ID

This content was published on A new attempt to introduce electronic proof of identity has been made in Switzerland. The Senate has resolved the final differences in the legal provisions on a state e-ID.

Read more: Swiss parliament clears way for new start with e-ID
Rare Roman coin sold for 1.89 million francs at auction

More

Rare Roman coin auctioned for almost CHF2 million in Geneva

This content was published on A rare Roman coin with a portrait of Brutus, the assassin of Julius Caesar, was sold at a Geneva auction on Monday for CHF1.89 million ($2.15 million), according to the organiser of the sale.

Read more: Rare Roman coin auctioned for almost CHF2 million in Geneva
Council of States says yes to the federal budget without a dissenting vote

More

Swiss Senate approves federal budget without opposition

This content was published on The Swiss army will receive an additional CHF530 million in 2025, and no cuts will be made to direct payments for agriculture. What is unclear is how much will be saved on foreign aid.

Read more: Swiss Senate approves federal budget without opposition
SEM suspends asylum procedure for asylum seekers from Syria

More

Swiss suspend decisions on asylum-seekers from Syria

This content was published on Asylum procedures and decisions for asylum-seekers from Syria will be suspended with immediate effect until the situation can be reassessed, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said.

Read more: Swiss suspend decisions on asylum-seekers from Syria

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