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Corona test station in the Swiss canton of Graubünden (in December 2020)
Photo: Gian Ehrenzeller / dpa / KEYSTONE
The omicron wave has also hit Switzerland.
The seven-day incidence of new infections is currently around 2000 cases.
The canton of Graubünden is particularly hard hit;
there, more than 3700 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants were reported within a week.
The cantonal government fears staff shortages in the hospitals and is preparing for this with an unusual measure: All trained nurses who are not already working in the profession must register - and can be obliged to work if necessary.
"It can be assumed that the sharp increase in corona cases will bring medical care and human resources in the nursing professions to their limits," said the canton of Graubünden.
Therefore, people from a number of the listed nursing and health professions are "urgently requested to identify themselves immediately for any subsequent obligation to be deployed."
In Switzerland, the law allows health care professionals to be obliged by the state to help prevent and combat communicable diseases. The canton has provided an online form that nurses can use to report. The only exceptions are people who belong to a risk group. The canton had already announced the measure on Monday, and it is now being implemented.
In addition, the duration of quarantine and isolation has been shortened to five days throughout Switzerland since Monday.
That should also help to protect the so-called critical infrastructure - in addition to the health system, also the police, fire brigade or energy and water supply.
This is at risk if a large number of workers have to isolate themselves at the same time, either because of their own infection or because of close contact with an infected person.
fdi
