The fifth wave combined with the staff shortage overwhelms hospitals. In some cantons, the army intervenes as reinforcements.
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The fifth wave puts the majority of Swiss hospitals under great pressure, intensive care beds are starting to run out. EPA / LAURENT GILLIERON
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The bar of 300 people hospitalized in intensive care following a Covid-19 infection was crossed last week. This critical threshold means that it is no longer possible to guarantee optimal care for all patients. Beyond the figures, the situation is already more than critical in the majority of health establishments in the country.
In its edition of this Sunday, the “NZZ am Sonntag” thus reveals that soldiers must be recalled as reinforcements. And to discuss hospital missions in several French-speaking cantons, including Friborg, Jura and Valais. For the latter case, 26 medical soldiers will enter service in order to be able to set up three to five additional resuscitation beds. State Councilor in charge of health in Valais, Mathias Reynard said bluntly to the German-speaking newspaper: “Without the help of the army, we could not expand our capacities.”
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