Covid infections are rising fast and many more people are now isolating – including health workers.
Hospitals are now suffering due to the lack of staff – as well as more patients.
The cantonal hospital in Aarau has reduced the isolation time down from 5 days to 3 to get staff back into work.
Other sectors are also suffering. Public transport and aviation have shortages. The Zurich public transport company says while it hasn’t cut back services yet – it may have to.
But hospitals say while the number of patients with the coronavirus is climbing – they’re not yet seeing the corresponding rise in the need for intensive care beds, which has been the case in past infection waves.
Corona patients are placed in isolation wards – but in many cases they’re there for another reason than covid - they just happen to have it.