The canton of Bern is ready to be able to test extensively in schools and among the population. The canton of Bern is also increasing its vaccination frequency: the vaccination centers are expanding their opening hours, an additional vaccination center will be opened in May on the grounds of the BEA-Bern-Expo and the general practitioners will start vaccinating.
“An important milestone is within reach,” said health, social and integration director Pierre Alain Schnegg today at a point de presse. The number of cases in the canton of Bern is well below the Swiss average and shows that the population continues to adhere to the hygiene and distance rules very well. Covid-related deaths have also fallen sharply and are now less than 5 per week.
The more contagious British virus variant has now almost superseded the conventional one. This means that even greater attention must be paid to protection against infection. The Canton of Bern wants to achieve this with large-scale measures: It is ready for mass testing in schools, in companies and among the population. In addition, he is increasing his vaccination rhythm with the announced larger quantities of vaccine deliveries; Doctors and pharmacies are involved.
New vaccination dates will be released next week
The canton of Bern aims to ensure that anyone who wishes to be vaccinated can be vaccinated by July / August. If half of the population wants to be vaccinated, that would be half a million Bernese. Up to yesterday evening 200,000 doses had been vaccinated in the canton of Bern: 76,000 people have already been fully vaccinated, and a further 55,000 people have received a first dose. For the first time in this campaign, more than 7,000 vaccinations were carried out in one day yesterday, Thursday. Almost 400,000 people have already registered for a vaccination. Groups A and B of the previously approved vaccination groups are almost completely vaccinated. For group C (65 to 74 year olds), which has been approved since April 1, 40,000 out of 70,000 registered people are still waiting for a vaccination appointment.
With the announced next vaccine delivery, the canton of Bern will be able to add new dates in the coming week: Starting today, another 5,000 people will be able to register for a first and second vaccination (groups A, B, C). From April 19, another 20,000 people will be able to register for a vaccination.
If the expected vaccination doses are delivered on time, further vaccination groups will be allowed to vaccinate from the end of the month. The canton of Bern should again receive around 250,000 cans by mid-May.
The tenth vaccination center opens at the beginning of May
With the arrival of the large quantities of vaccine, the canton of Bern is expanding its vaccination frequency: the large-scale vaccination can begin. The nine vaccination centers are expanding their capacities. As early as April, some of the centers will also be open on Saturdays, and from May also on Sundays. The aim is that at least 10,000 people per day can be vaccinated in the vaccination centers. At the beginning of May, an additional tenth vaccination center will be opened on the grounds of the BEA-Bern-expo with a capacity of around 3500 additional vaccinations per day. The new center is being set up in cooperation with the Security Directorate.
In addition, 17 mobile vaccination teams will be on the move; they can vaccinate up to 1700 people a day. In order to also be able to vaccinate people in remote regions, the test truck of the canton of Bern is being converted into a vaccination truck.
Vaccinations from general practitioners and pharmacies
As of today, the family doctors will also be added for vaccinations: 300 doctors have registered, over 200 practices will act as additional vaccination centers. You start with a small amount of Moderna vaccine, in two weeks you should be able to increase your capacities. In addition, general practitioners have come together to open vaccination practices in Corgémont, Aarberg, Unterzollikofen and Riggisberg, which will start operating in May 2021.
Depending on the announced extensive deliveries of the Moderna vaccine, pharmacies should also be able to offer vaccinations from the beginning of May.
From May 3rd, mass tests will take place in schools
Tests are an important pillar in fighting pandemics. The Health, Social and Integration Directorate (GSI) has made contact with many companies; 200 large and small companies have already registered that want to carry out tests in their companies.
Regular tests should also be carried out in schools. The pilot test that has just ended was successful: at four elementary schools, the Kirchenfeld grammar school and the retail trade school in Bern, between 70 and around 90 percent of the students took the voluntary saliva test in the individual schools in the first week of testing. Only one pool test was positive in the 24 classes.
From May 3, as many children and young people as possible from the first to the ninth grade and at the upper secondary level are to be tested weekly. The education and health directors hope that asymptomatic infections will be detected early, chains of transmission will be interrupted and as few classes as possible will have to be quarantined.
Saliva tests are used in the voluntary mass tests. The teachers collect the individual sample tubes from the students. The community organizes a collection service, the post office picks up the tests at the community collection point and brings them to a specially built mobile laboratory in Münsingen. A maximum of 10 samples of the same class are pooled and tested. If the pool sample is positive, all students in the pool are tested again individually.
The weekly mass tests are scheduled for the period from May to the start of the autumn break. The government council of the canton of Bern has approved a loan of 988,000 francs for this purpose. The credit includes the costs for the central pooling of the samples, the analysis and the logistical measures.
Hirslanden AG supports the Canton of Bern with mass testing in schools and is also available as an additional contact for test projects in companies. Contact: [email protected]
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