{"id":28659,"date":"2020-06-12T10:05:58","date_gmt":"2020-06-12T08:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/?p=28659"},"modified":"2020-06-15T11:51:44","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T09:51:44","slug":"switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Switzerland and Germany Ranked World’s Safest and Second-Safest Countries During COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a new report from the Deep Knowledge Group<\/a>, Switzerland has been ranked the safest country in the world during the COVID-19 crisis, with Germany at number two. The report analyses quantitative and qualitative data covering categories including quarantine efficiency, monitoring and detection, health readiness and government efficiency. Economic sustainability contributed to Germany and Switzerland\u2019s high ranking. Both countries have been able to focus on scientific and health indicators to inform the gradual easing of restrictions, without the threat of a collapsing economy hurrying the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report notes that Switzerland\u2019s \u201creputation as the major\neconomic and financial epicenter of Europe, lends the region a high degree of\neconomic resiliency\u201d, while Germany has the \u201ccapacity to sustain the impact of\nthe economic support to citizens and businesses that it has already provided\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their leading positions are particularly noteworthy as both Switzerland and Germany are close to the European epicenter of the pandemic. As new cases and mortality rates continue to decline even while economic activity is reinitiated, their positions as safest countries during the COVID-19 crisis are secure. The speed, efficacy and thorough approaches taken to handling the outbreak of coronavirus is characteristic of those nations<\/strong>, which is reassuring when looking towards an uncertain future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Switzerland and Germany’s Response to COVID-19<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is much to be applauded in the ways Switzerland and\nGermany responded to COVID-19. Useful lessons for leaders, both in business and\npolitics, can be extracted from analysis of their approaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An efficient response<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On Friday 13th<\/sup> March, while many other European countries were debating and dragging their feet, Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga announced; \u201cWe need a strong reaction across the country and we need it now\u2026 it is the only way to surmount this crisis\u201d. Similar measures were put in place in mid-March in Germany, comparatively quickly for Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the report, \u201cIt is clear that they [Germany and Switzerland] survived and surpassed a very critical stress-test, succeeding to apply quick and efficient quarantine efforts, monitoring and detection, economic freezing and effective treatment, recovery and release of COVID-19 patients to prevent an overburdening of their healthcare systems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building trust<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Germany has been lauded for taking care to build trust with its citizens. By providing clear information about what was known and remained unknown about the virus, alongside issuing regulations and guidelines for behavior, citizens were able to trust that the government was acting appropriately and therefore confidently followed their lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clarity of communication is essential in crisis response<\/a> and this is also where Switzerland excelled. Clear instructions provided before lockdown and again for the easing of restrictions<\/a> made following protocol much simpler for citizens. Elsewhere in Europe, confused messaging has caused pandemonium<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A scientific approach<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel is a trained scientist, which is evident in her measured approach to easing restrictions. Having an informed understanding of the virus and practical experience in scientific research has no doubt been a huge benefit to the leader as she steers her country through the pandemic. But you do not need to be a scientist to learn from her example. A thorough approach to understanding a challenge and a willingness to listen to experts, rather than forge ahead without guidance, are admirable qualities in a leader<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similarly cautious approach was taken in Switzerland, whose Interior Minister Alain Berset said, “We want to proceed as swiftly as possible and as slowly as necessary”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A High-Performing\nHealthcare System<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Above all, both Germany and Switzerland have well-funded and\nestablished healthcare systems that were able to handle the crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing for the World Economic Forum, Jens Spahn, Germany\u2019s Federal Ministry of Health, reflected; \u201cThe German health-care system was in good shape going into the crisis; everyone has had full access to medical care. This is a merit not just of the current government but of a system that was built over the course of many governments. With an excellent network of general practitioners available to deal with milder COVID-19 cases, hospitals have been able to focus on the more severely ill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Switzerland was commended by the writers of the report\nfor offering \u201cguaranteed\naccessibility to high standard healthcare services for the entire community\u201d,\nand \u201clarge capacities to mobilize new health resources\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintaining an effective, properly funded healthcare system through good and bad times has proven, unsurprisingly, to be a game-changer<\/strong> when it comes to weathering a global pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Study Abroad in Our Swiss and German Campuses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Life is slowly getting back to normal in Switzerland and\nGermany. On the streets, things feel much as they did before the pandemic, albeit\nwith the reassuring presence of face masks and an established practice of\nkeeping a safe distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until a vaccine is ready, we all need to get used to living alongside the virus. Back to normal means continuing to work towards our long-term goals. For anyone planning to study abroad<\/a>, there\u2019s nowhere better to do so than the two countries listed as safest in the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are myriad reasons for studying in Geneva, Montreux or\nMunich, not least their cultural excellence, robust economies and enviable,\ncosmopolitan lifestyles. What\u2019s more, being able to study secure in the\nknowledge that you are safe, allows greater focus and energy to be directed\ntowards the incredible learning experience that awaits. Ensuring students make\nthe most of the time and money invested in their education. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At EU Business School, we\u2019re prepared for fall 2020. We have\nmeasures in place across our campuses, including in Geneva, Montreux and\nMunich, to ensure that our community can study with peace of mind. Students will\nbe able to enjoy all that their campus cities have to offer while engaging in a\nflexible education that will allow them to achieve their goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find out more about our state-of-the-art facilities, small class sizes, faculty of business leaders, entrepreneurs and consultants and the exciting lifestyles that await in our campus cities. We offer top-ranked business programs from bachelor\u2019s to MBA. Given the global situation, we are taking a flexible approach to admissions; get in touch to discuss your goals and discover your path to success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"eu<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a new report from the Deep Knowledge Group, Switzerland has been ranked the safest country in the world during the COVID-19 crisis, with Germany at number two. The report analyses quantitative and qualitative data covering categories including quarantine efficiency, monitoring and detection, health readiness and government efficiency. Economic sustainability contributed to Germany and Switzerland\u2019s high ranking. Both countries have been able to focus on scientific and health indicators to inform the gradual easing of restrictions, without the threat of a collapsing economy hurrying the process. The report notes that Switzerland\u2019s \u201creputation as the major economic and financial epicenter of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28665,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[670,671],"tags":[757,1751,1467,1683,1057],"class_list":["post-28659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-study-business-in-munich","category-study-business-in-switzerland","tag-germany","tag-study-abroad","tag-studying-in-germany","tag-studying-in-swizterland","tag-switzerland","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\r\nSwitzerland & Germany Ranked World's Safest Countries During COVID-19<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Both countries have been able to focus on scientific and health indicators to inform the gradual easing of restrictions, without the threat of a collapsing economy.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19\/\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"EU Business School\" \/>\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"EU Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"EU Campuses\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-campuses\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Study in Switzerland\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.euruni.edu\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/eu-business-school-campuses\\\/study-business-in-switzerland\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Switzerland and Germany Ranked World’s Safest and Second-Safest Countries During COVID-19\"}]}]}<\/script>\r\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Switzerland & Germany Ranked World's Safest Countries During COVID-19","description":"Both countries have been able to focus on scientific and health indicators to inform the gradual easing of restrictions, without the threat of a collapsing economy.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19\/","author":"EU Business School","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/switzerland-germany-safest-countries-covid-19\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"EU Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"EU Campuses","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-campuses\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Study in Switzerland","item":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/category\/eu-business-school-campuses\/study-business-in-switzerland\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Switzerland and Germany Ranked World’s Safest and Second-Safest Countries During COVID-19"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28659"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28659\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28694,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28659\/revisions\/28694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28659"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28659"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.euruni.edu\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}