Switzerland urging high-risk groups to Covid-19 to sign ‘do not resuscitate’

Switzerland urging high-risk groups to Covid-19 to sign ‘do not resuscitate’

Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The population of Switzerland is approximately 8.6 million and is viewed to be a wealthy nation. However, during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, vulnerable groups are being urged to sign ‘do not resuscitate’ orders.

Yet, the longevity of coronavirus in Europe means that wealthier nations should be adequately prepared for the worst-case scenario. After all, mistakes of treatment in the early period in several European nations – tied with panic over the potent pandemic – meant many health care systems were overwhelmed in areas hit the hardest. This notably applies to Belgium, France, northern Italy in the Lombardy region, parts of Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Despite this, it appears that senior doctors in Switzerland believe that the health care system isn’t adequate to serve all the people equally. Hence, vulnerable groups including the elderly, individuals with heart conditions, and so forth, are being urged to sign ‘do not resuscitate’ orders.’

Reuters reports, “Warning that Switzerland was running low on intensive care beds, the Swiss Society for Intensive Care Medicine (SGI) called this week on the “especially imperiled”, including people over 60, or with health conditions like heart disease and diabetes, to put their wishes on paper in case the worst should happen.”

Currently, 4,222 people have died from the coronavirus in Switzerland and new infections are high. However, in terms of deaths per million, the nation is much lower than countries including Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Of course, difficult decisions have to be made but when highly advanced nations like Italy, Spain, and Switzerland are struggling – and others including France and the United Kingdom where many elderly died in care homes – then it highlights the crisis in less developed nations that have been hit hard including India, Iran, Mexico, and many others.

Also, it highlights that many modern European nations have failed the most vulnerable in society during a time when governments were tested to protect all citizens. Hence, a two-tier health care system is happening by stealth.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-patient-decrees/swiss-doctors-urge-covid-vulnerable-to-declare-end-of-life-wishes-in-advance-idUKKBN2802GH

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ World coronavirus statistics

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