|  NEWS

Health experts in Switzerland forecast the number of Covid cases to reach a peak within the coming fortnight and advise a review of the country’s quarantine policy.

“We could get to the peak within one to three weeks if contacts among people stay on the same level,” said Tanja Stadler of the Covid science task force at a news conference.

“The cases will double every eight to 10 days. As a result, between 10 and 30% of the population will be infected with Covid,” she added.

She went on to say that as many as 300 new patients could be admitted to intensive care units, with many more requiring ongoing hospital care.

As such, hospitals had to ensure sufficient preparations were in place to prepare for the increasing number of patients, said Virginie Masserey from Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health.

She added that, at the peak, around 10-15% of the country’s active population may be unable to work due to quarantine and isolation periods.

New Covid cases in Switzerland have surged within the last two weeks, hitting a seven-day average of over 24,600 cases on Tuesday, says a Swiss Info report.

“This is unprecedented level,” said Masserey, adding that the real case figure may be substantially higher as testing and contact tracing capacities are proving to be a challenge for authorities.

Stadler of the Covid science task force advises a review of the seven-day quarantine regulations: “It might make sense to shorten the quarantine and isolation to five days and limit it to closest contacts,” she said.

The length of the quarantine was reduced in December from 10 to seven days, in an attempt to avoid staff shortages in the private sector and public services.

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  • Covid,
  • Switzerland,
  • quarantine

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