Warning against complacency over coronavirus risks
The Swiss government has again urged residents against complacency even as the country’s coronavirus infection rate slows.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/urs
Daniel Koch, the government delegate on the Covid-19 pandemic, warned residents to keep their guard up.
External Content
Never miss a top story: subscribe to our weekly newsletter now.
“The increase in infections is not as steeply as feared, thank God. But we’re a long way from being out of the danger zone. There is a real risk that more people become infected and that we have additional hospitalisations,” Koch told a news conference on Friday.
Currently there are about 300 patients in intensive care, Koch added.
The government on Thursday presented details of a three-phased exit strategy from the sweeping restrictions gradually introduced since the end of February.
Koch reiterated that hygiene and social distancing rules had to remain in place to ensure that the pandemic can be contained.
The government is due to present further details on easing the lockdown, while different sectors of the industry were asked to issue safety concepts notably for hairdressers, beauty salons and other select businesses to reopen.
Small and medium-sized companies as well as the restaurant sector have criticised the government delaying the re-opening until June at the earliest.
The hospitality sector has been particularly hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
In total, more than 167,000 companies representing 1.76 million people, have applied for short-work hour unemployment benefits. That is about 25% of the total workforce in Switzerland.
More
More
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
This content was published on
An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
Switzerland invites 160 delegations to June Ukraine peace talks
This content was published on
Russia is currently not among the delegations invited to talks aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.
Survey: air travel most popular way to go on holidays for Swiss
This content was published on
Despite the climate crisis, flying is the most popular mode of transport for private travel – particularly among young, urban and high-income travellers.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
This content was published on
From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
This content was published on
Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
This test could help Switzerland get back on track
This content was published on
While we await a vaccine or treatment, scientists are developing tests to tell us how widespread the virus is, such as the serological test.
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.