Life expectancy for people living in Switzerland has recovered dramatically from the pandemic induced dip, with mortality rates in 2021 poised to be at their lowest ever levels.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Português
pt
Esperança de vida na Suíça se recupera rapidamente
However, provisional figures for the first half of 2021 paint a different picture, according to the University Centre for General Medicine and Public Health in Lausanne.
If the initial results are confirmed, and carry on for the rest of this year, men’s life expectancy will have completely recovered while women could expect to live even longer than before the pandemic (86 years on average).
Apart from the first six weeks of this year, “mortality was uniformly lower in the first half of 2021 than in any of the previous six years”, the researchers stated. “As a result, mortality in 2021 is so far the lowest ever recorded in Switzerland.”
This shows that the second wave of the pandemic was far less fatal than the first. Deaths from influenza are also set to have “no visible impact” for the second year in a row.
Covid-19 infections have been rising steadily in Switzerland in the last few weeks, but the number of deaths has not increased.
The authorities have put this down to the effect of vaccinations. Tanja Stadler, head of Switzerland’s Covid-19 science taskforce, said last week that two vaccine jabs can prevent eight out of ten hospitalisations.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Swiss president visits region affected by glacier collapse
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter spoke with communities affected by the Birch glacier collapse, which buried the village of Blatten.
This content was published on
On Saturday the Lake Geneva, Valais and Basel regions are expected to record the first tropical day of the year, with temperatures exceeding 30°C.
This content was published on
The Swiss economy saw the clouds that had gathered over its prospects lift somewhat in May. However, the KOF economic barometer is still below its long-term average.
Direct operations too dangerous in Swiss landslide valley
This content was published on
By Friday morning 365 people had been forced to leave their homes because of Wednesday's landslide in the Swiss village of Blatten.
Franco-Swiss raclette war set to be settled on Sunday
This content was published on
The battle for the world's largest raclette will be transformed on Sunday in Saint-Gingolph, canton Valais, into a raclette of friendship served at the border.
This content was published on
In 2019, the Swiss population grew in size, aged, and became slightly more foreign, according to annual statistics published on Thursday.
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.