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HEALTH

‘We have enough tests’: Switzerland calls on Swiss to get tested

Swiss health officials have urged anyone experiencing symptoms to get tested. Switzerland currently tests less per positive case than most European countries.

Published: 24 November 2020 17:17 CET
'We have enough tests': Switzerland calls on Swiss to get tested
A coronavirus testing sign in the UK. Photo: BEN STANSALL / AFP

Despite strong test capacity, the Swiss populace appears reluctant to get tested. 

Switzerland has one of the lowest test positivity rates in Europe – meaning that fewer people are tested for every positive case. 

After lagging behind the majority of Europe in testing, Switzerland has unveiled a new campaign to encourage members of the public to get tested. 

READ: Why does Switzerland carry out so few coronavirus tests?

Entitled ‘Have symptoms: Get tested’ the campaign encourages anyone experiencing “fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, chest pain, loss of smell and / or taste” to get tested immediately. 

 

 

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is concerned that too few people have been getting tested for the virus and hopes to boost testing rates. 

The Swiss GP and Child Medicine Association believes that Swiss people either fail to take their symptoms seriously or don’t think they need to take a test. 

“One possible explanation for this development is that, due to the currently slightly decreasing number of cases, the need for tests, even with only mild symptoms of the disease, is not sufficiently recognised by the population,” the Association wrote. 

 

‘We have enough tests’

In launching the campaign, FOPH spokesperson Virginie Masserey said people should not be concerned about a lack of tests – or that they would be forced to pay. 

“There is enough test capacity, so all people with symptoms should be tested,” she said. 

“The tests are free if the criteria is met.”

The FOPH has an online quiz to be completed to see if a test is necessary. 

The test can be completed here in less than 60 seconds and is available in four languages including English, German, Italian and French.

‘Insufficient testing’

Despite the sophistication of its healthcare system and its comparative wealth, Switzerland is still not carrying out enough coronavirus testing. 

According to new figures put together by Our World in Data and published in Switzerland’s Neue Zürcher Zeitung, only four countries – Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania have tested less than Switzerland over the past seven days. 

The ‘tests per case’ is another way of explaining ‘test positivity’, which refers to how many tests need to be carried out in order to identify one positive coronavirus case. 

According to the NZZ, the data shows that testing in Switzerland is ‘insufficient’, adding that the results are ‘surprising’ and that the data indicates the virus is spreading ‘uncontrollably’. 

This is surprising, because the number of tests in Switzerland is insufficient in relation to the number of infections,” the NZZ writes.  

“This is indicated by the proportion of positive tests. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this should be less than 5 percent. In Switzerland it is currently still at 22.8 percent and thus at a very high level. 

“This development is alarming, as very high positivity rates indicate that the virus is spreading uncontrollably. 

“The number of tests carried out in Switzerland is therefore not sufficient to be able to understand the infection process.”

More information about testing can be found here. 

 

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FOOD AND DRINK

EXPLAINED: What does the ‘bio’ label on foods in Switzerland really mean?

All major Swiss supermarkets have products designated as ‘bio’, which refers to their ‘organic’ farming or manufacturing methods. But what exactly does this label represent?

Published: 24 June 2024 11:31 CEST
EXPLAINED: What does the 'bio' label on foods in Switzerland really mean?

In its press release published in June 2024, Bio Suisse, an umbrella group for organic food producers, said that residents of Switzerland are international ‘bio’ champions. 

“With consumption of 454 francs per capita, Switzerland ranks first in international comparison,” the organisation said. “In no other European country is the organic basket of goods as large.”

In terms of preference for organic food, “Switzerland is ahead of Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg and Sweden. Germany follows in sixth place and France just behind in seventh place,” Bio-Suisse added.

This finding is not surprising because the consumption of this more expensive type of food is directly linked to income: the wealthier the country, the more its residents are willing to spend on organic products.

What does a ‘bio’ label stand for in Switzerland?

In a nutshell, organic products must meet much higher standards and comply with more requirements than the ‘conventional’ foods in the way they are grown and manufactured.

Contrary to most conventional production methods, organic farming is more sustainable — that is, it protects the environment and conserves resources instead of depleting them.

A total of 7,362 organic farmers and producers are members of Bio Suisse.

In addition, more than 2,300 operations abroad are also certified according to the Bio Suisse standards, which means their farming / production methods are equivalent to those practiced in Switzerland.

Can you trust a ‘bio’ label, or is it just a lot of hype (as some people claim?)

In Switzerland, this process is strictly controlled by various organic farming ordinances, which are enforced by the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW). 

This means that every farm that produces, prepares, trades or imports organic products is inspected and certified at least once a year by one of the four accredited and approved certification bodies in Switzerland.

These laws also set out the principles by which agricultural products and foodstuffs labelled as organic must be made, and which non-toxic substances are authorised for use in organic farming and for preparing organic food.

Why are organic products more expensive than conventional ones?

Among the main reasons are more rigorous production and certification standards, which must meet all the requirements set out by the BLW.

Also, operational costs involved in the use of natural, pesticide-free fertilisers and high-quality animal feed, are higher in organic farming than in conventional one.

Additionally, the supply of organic food in Swiss supermarkets is more limited than that of conventional one, which pushes prices up.

And then there is this often-asked question: is organic food in Switzerland in really healthier?

Some people will swear by the better quality and higher nutritional value of organic products, while others will say the benefits are exaggerated.

There is no definite answer to this question, except this: some studies have shown possible health benefits of organic foods when compared with foods grown using conventional process.

However, there is limited information to prove how these differences can give potential overall health benefits.

But Zurich authorities believe in the ‘power’ of organic foods: in 2022, they mandated that most of the food served in the city’s hospitals, care centres, childcare facilities, and schools, be organic.

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