Did you know that Switzerland has around 65'000 kilometres of hiking trails? That's about 1.5 times the circumference of the earth! A huge number of municipalities and volunteer organisations maintain the hiking trails and offer hikes in all the cantons.
Corona Infections On The Rise; Dough For Dough To End; Freiestrasse Construction Deadline Extended
News For 9 November 2021
The Swiss federal health authorities (BAG) reported almost 3000 new cases of Coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours. The recent rise of infections is starting to approach the prior spring and fall peaks after the initial outbreak in late 2020. The occupancy rate of intensive care units at regional hospitals is at 77% of which approximately 14% are allocated to patients with life-threatening cases of Covid19 related disease. The population in general is almost 65% fully-vaccinated, and the government has been busy evaluating the implementation of booster shots for the elderly and vulnerable as well as young children.
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From January 1st 2022 The Swiss Federal Government will not recognise celiac disease, which is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by gluten intolerance. As a result, families who rely on financial support from the government, which can range between 600-1450 CHFS per year, will no longer be able to claim any compensation, and there is no plan to replace it. Tina Toggenburger, President of the IG Celiac Association, says this has an enormous health and financial consequence for those on a lesser income, especially children. With mandatory health insurance only covering certain costs towards specialist foods, would again leave people struggling. Tina Toggenburger has appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider this decision, which is not a lifestyle choice, but a known disease.
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Originally planned for completion in late 2023, the completion of construction on Freiestrasse has now been delayed until the third quarter of 2024. Most notably affected are the shopkeepers whose business has been disrupted by makeshift entrances from the high-street into the stores. At the heart of the hold-up are the anticipated archeological activities that must precede any construction. Before any old pipes are removed, or new ones put in place, a team of archeologists are brought on site to catalogue any significant finds that help inform the history of the central business district of Basel. In the early part of the work which began at Bankverein and descended about half-way to Marktplatz, Roman roads and skeletons from the middle ages were found.