COVID-19 Pandemic

Between January 2020 and December 2022, we focussed on quantifying the epidemiology and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in real-time.

We estimated the reproductive number for >180 countries on a daily basis and founded a large Swiss SARS-CoV-2 Sequencing Consortium revealing insights into the variant spread in Switzerland (see subpages). Results were communicated to and discussed with the relevant policy makers via the external pageSwiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force (headed by Tanja Stadler Aug. 2021- March 2022) and the external pageSwiss Scientific Advisory Panel COVID-19 (headed by Tanja Stadler Nov. 2022- June 2024). In parallel, we informed the public through the media (see list below).

Selected press coverage

General: Our estimates of the reproductive number are displayed graphically in the external pageNZZ and the external pageTagesanzeiger and provided as text by the external pageSRF.

external pageNau.ch (22.03.2023)
external pageSRF Morgengast (16.03.2023)
external pageTagesanzeiger (19.02.2023)
external pageSWR Aktuell (04.02.2023)
external pageDer Blick (01.02.2023)
external pageSRF News (31.01.2023)
external pagewatson.ch (26.01.2023)
external pageLa Liberté (26.01.2023)
external pageTicino Online (26.01.2023)
external pageSRF News (26.01.2023)
external pageCorriere del Ticino (26.01.2023)
external pageDer Blick (26.01.2023)
external page20 Minuten (26.01.2023)
external pageNZZ (26.01.2023)
external pageTagesanzeiger (25.01.2023)
external pageZüri Today (25.01.2023)
external pageSRF Audio (13.01.2023)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (11.01.2023)
external pageTagesanzeiger (10.01.2023)
external pageDer Blick (30.12.2022)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (29.12.2022)
external pagewatson.ch (27.12.2022)
external pageTagesanzeiger (27.12.2022) interview
external pageSRF Tagesschau (24.12.2022)
external pageSRF News (22.12.2022)
external pageSRF Audio (03.12.2022)
external pageSRF News (01.12.2022)
external page3Sat Nano (30.11.2022) on the science-policy collaboration
external pageDer Blick (26.11.2022)
external pageTagesanzeiger (31.10.2022) on the upcoming winter situation
external pageRepublik (03.10.2022) on case numbers during summer
external pagetio.ch (11.09.2022)
external pageDer Blick (10.09.2022)
external pageSRF Wissen (05.09.2022)
ETH Ambassadors Blog (01.09.2022)
external pageDer Blick (28.08.2022)
external pageNZZ magazin (09.07.2022)
external pageSwiss Community - Schweizer Revue (01.07.2022) portrait of Tanja Stadler
external pagewatson.ch (30.06.2022) on case numbers and unofficial statistics
external pageSRF Tagesschau (28.06.2022)
external pageDer Blick (23.06.2022)
external pageDer Blick (22.06.2022) on the second booster vaccination
external pageTagesanzeiger (21.06.2022)
external pagewatson.ch (21.06.2022)
external pageDer Blick (20.06.2022) interview
external pageLe Temps (14.06.2022)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (18.06.2022) on the second booster
external pageNZZ (22.06.2022) on the variant BA.5
external pageSRF Echo der Zeit (11.06.2022) on the rise of variant BA.5 (starting at minute 11:12)
external pageDer Blick (10.06.2022)
external pagewatson.ch (09.06.2022)
external pageZofinger Tagblatt (09.06.2022)
external pageTagesanzeiger (08.06.2022)
external pagewatson.ch (20.05.2022) on the rise of BA.4 and BA.5 variants
external pageNZZ (16.05.2022) on the surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants
external pageTagesanzeiger (4.05.2022) on new omicron variants
external pageNau.ch (31.03.2022) on the occasion of the suspension of the Science Task Force
external page20 Minuten (31.03.2022)
external pageHeidi.News (30.03.2022)
external pageTagesanzeiger (30.03.2022)
external pagetelebasel (25.03.2022)
external pageblue News (22.03.2022) interview
external pageSRF News (22.03.2022) interview
external pageSRF Tagesschau (22.03.2022)
external pagePoint de presse (22.03.2022)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (22.03.2022) interview
external pageTagesanzeiger (22.03.2022)
external pageSRF News (22.03.2022)
Sexternal pageRF Dok (13.03.2022) two years of pandemic in retrospection
external pageNZZ (11.03.2022)
external pageDer Blick (01.03.2022) interview
external pageSRF Tagesschau (16.02.2022)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (08.02.2022)
external pageDer Blick (06.02.2022) portrait
external pageSRF Audio 'Samstagsrundschau' (15.01.2022) interview
external pageSRF Tagesschau (11.01.2022)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (11.01.2022)
external pagePoint de presse (11.01.2022)
external pageWatson.ch (30.12.2021)
external pagePoint de presse (28.12.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (28.12.2021)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (28.12.2021) on the dominance of 'omicron'
external pageNZZ Magazin (25.12.2021)
external pageNau.ch (15.12.2021) on SARS-CoV-2 wastewater monitoring
external pageSRF News (15.12.2021)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (15.12.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (14.12.2021) predicting the dominance of 'omicron'
external pagePoint de presse (14.12.2021)
external pageAargauer Zeitung (12.12.2021)
external pageSRF News (11.12.2021)
external pageLe Temps (29.11.2021) on the new variant 'omicron'
external pageNZZ (29.11.2021) on the new variant 'omicron'
external pagePoint de presse (29.11.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (29.11.2021) on the new variant 'omicron'
external page20 Minuten (28.11.2021)
external pageNZZ am Sonntag (27.11.2021) interview
external pageBerner Zeitung (25.11.2021) on antigene-tests
external pageSRF 10vor10 (23.11.2021) interview
external pageSRF Tagesschau (23.11.2021)
external pageSRF News (23.11.2021)
external pagePoint de presse (23.11.2021)
external pageTagesanzeiger (23.11.2021)
external pageDer Blick (23.11.2021)
external pagewatson.ch (23.11.2021)
external pagewatson.ch (23.11.2021) on the third 'boost' vaccination
external pageDer Blick (14.11.2021)
external pageTagesanzeiger (13.11.2021) interview on the next 'COVID-19 winter'
external pageNZZ (09.11.2021) on the vaccinated-recovered ('2G') rule
external pagenau.ch (08.11.2021)
external pageSRF 10vor10 (08.11.2021)
external pageDer Blick (02.11.2021) on the vaccinated-recovered ('2G') rule
external pageSRF Tagesschau (01.11.2021) on the third 'boost' vaccination
external pageDas Tagblatt (01.11.2021) on the vaccinated-recovered ('2G') rule
external pageSRF Tagesgespräch (29.10.2021)
external pagenau.ch (28.10.2021) on the third 'boost' vaccination
external pageNZZ (27.10.2021) on the next 'COVID-19 winter'
external pagePoint de Presse (26.10.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (26.10.2021) on the third 'boost' vaccination
external pageDas Tagblatt (19.10.2021) on the need to intensify anti-corona measures
external pageDer Blick (11.10.2021) on the next 'COVID-19 winter'
external page20 Minuten (29.09.2021)
external pageSRF Der Club (28.09.2021)
external pageTagesanzeiger (18.09.2021) on the coronavirus variant My (B.1.621)
external pagePoint de Presse (07.09.2021)
external pagewatson.ch (07.09.2021)
external pageSRF News (07.09.2021) on the increase of cases amongst school children
external pageSRF 10vor10 (17.08.2021) on the vaccination campaign at schools
external pageSRF Tagesschau 6 PM (18.08.2021) on Tanja's new role as Head of the Science Task Force
external pageHiggs.ch (18.08.2021) on the variant delta
external pageLe Temps (18.08.2021) on the new leadership of the Swiss COVID Science Task Force
ETH PodCast (18.08.2021) new leadership for Swiss COVID Science Task Force
external pagePoint de presse (17.08.2021)
external pageSRF News (17.08.2021) on COVID-19 and the protection of kids
external pageTagesanzeiger (17.07.2021) on the new lambda variant
external pageDeutschlandfunk (20.06.2021) on the origin of SARS-CoV-2
external pageSRF Tagesschau (10.06.2021) announcing Tanja's new role as Head of Swiss COVID Science Task Force
external pageTagesanzeiger; external pageLe Temps; external pagewatson.ch; (10.06.2021) announcing Tanja's new role as Head of the Swiss COVID Science Task Force
external pageBZ Basel; external pageTagblatt (02.06.2021) on the new SARS-CoV-2 variant 'Delta'
external pageSRF Gredig direkt (21.05.2021) with Alain Berset and sequences of an interview with Tanja Stadler (min. 11)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (18.05.2021) on the monitoring based on sequencing
external pageDer Bund (18.05.2021) on the variant from India
external pageSRF Tagesschau (17.05.2021) on the spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 variant from India
external pageVoix Civique (12.05.2021) on the current epidemiological situation
external pageSRF Tagesgespräch (11.05.2021) on current epidemiological situation
external pageSRF News (7.05.2021) on modeling vs reality
external pageHep Verlag (6.05.2021) on women in MINT disciplines
external pageSRF News - Echo der Zeit (2.05.2021) on the federal/cantonal monitoring strategies
external pageBlick (2.05.2021) on the federal monitoring strategy
external pageNZZ am Sonntag (1.05.2021) on the challenge of monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants
external pageNZZ (30.04.2021) on the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 variants
external pagenau.ch (29.04.2021) on the epidemiological situation in India
external pagenau.ch (28.04.2021) on the SRF Club discussion
external pageSRF Club (27.04.2021) panel discussion on the federal vaccination strategy
external pageTagesanzeiger (26.04.2021)
external pageNZZ am Sonntag (25.04.2021) on the timely identification of variants
external pageBlick (24.04.2021) on the SARS-CoV-2 variant from India
external pageSRF News (24.04.2021) on the SARS-CoV-2 variant from India
external pageTagesanzeiger (20.04.2021) on the testing strategy and waste water monitoring
external pageWatson.ch (16.04.2021) on the federal steps toward relaxation
external pageBlick (1.04.2021)
external pageLe Temps (31.03.2021) on the monitoring of variants
external pageSRF 10 vor 10 (29.03.2021) on the third COVID-19 wave
external pageBlue News (21.03.2021)
external pageTagesanzeiger (19.03.2021) on the current epidemiological situation
external pageNZZ (16.03.2021) on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants
external pageSRF Radio, external pageSRF Kontext (15.03.2021) incl. group member interviews
ETH News (12.03.2021) on uncertainties in statistics (article in Engish)
external pageDer Bund (02.03.2021) on case numbers in Berne
external pageSRF "DOK" (26.02.2021) on one year of global pandemic
external pageSRF Tagesschau (25.02.2021) on the %-age of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Switzerland
external pageEcho24.de (22.02.2021) on the EU border closures in 2020
external pageNZZ Standpunkte (21.02.2021) on our preparedness for future pandemics
external pageSRF News (18.02.2021) on the SARS-CoV-2 variants and the rise in case numbers
external pageKeystone ATS, AgenziaTelegrafica Svizzera, external pageKeystone SDA, Schweizerische Depeschenagentur, external pageBadische Neueste Nachrichten, external pageSRF.ch, external pagebazonline.ch, external pagetio.ch, external pageSPIEGEL Wissenschaft, external pageBerliner Zeitung, external pageWestfälische Nachrichten (14.02.2021) on the EU border closures in 2020
external pageWiener Zeitung (13.02.2021) on SARS-CoV-2 variants and the R-value
external pageSRF News (13.02.2021) on adjusting the R-value
external pageSRF1 and external pageSRF2Kultur (12.02.2021) on the monitoring of vaccinated people getting infected
external pageTagesanzeiger (11.02.2021) on the vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 variants
ETH news Blueprint for Understanding the Pandemic (09.02.2021) picked up by various media: external pageEurekAlert; external pageSciTechDaily; external pagenewswise.
external pagenau.ch (01.02.2021) on SARS-CoV-2 variants and the R-value
ETH News "Our goal must be low case numbers" (01.02.2021)
external pageDer Bund (30.01.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (22.01.2021) on the occurence of the british variant
external pageLe Temps (19.01.2021)
external pageSRF Puls with Tanja as studio guest (13.01.2021)
external pageRTS radio on the R-value (13.01.2021)
external pageNZZ about new SARS-CoV-2 variants (13.01.2021)
external pageBlick; external pageDer Bund; external page20 minutes; external pageSRF News on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in waste waster (11.01.2021)
external pageSRF Tagesschau; external pageSRF News; external pageSRF radio Echo der Zeit about current case numbers (09.01.2021)
external pageNZZ am Sonntag on the new SARS-CoV-2 variants (09.01.2021)
external pageSRF News; external pageSRF 10vor10 about the detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants (08.01.2021)
external pageBAG media release (27.12.2021) reporting the first two 501Y.V2 variants in Switzerland, which is based on the research by the Swiss Viollier Sequencing project led by cEVO-group
external pageBlick on the new SARS-CoV-2 variants (24.12.2020)
external pagePoint de Presse (22.12.2020)
external pageSRF Tagesschau; external pageSRF 10vor10 about the current situation (22.12.2020)
external pageLe Temps about the R value (22.12.2020)
external pageTagesanzeiger about the R value (16.12.2020)
external pageSRF 4 News Aktuell about current case numbers (03.12.2020)
external pageTagesanzeiger about case numbers (01.12.2020)
external pageTagesanzeiger about case numbers (12.11.2020)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (11.11.2020)
external pageTalkTäglich (11.11.2020)
external pageTagesanzeiger on corona mutants (11.11.2020)
external pageTagesanzeiger about mobility (01.11.2020)
New SARS-CoV-2 variant in ETH news (German and English, 29.10.2020) and an interview on external pageTV Channel One Russia (01.11.2020)
external pageBBC 4Tech (25.10.2020)
external pageSRF Radio heute morgen about masks and homeoffice (16.10.2020)
external page10vor10 Studiogast (16.10.2020)
external pageSRF radio Regionaljournal Basel (15.10.2020)
external page10vor10 (14.10.2020)
external pageSRF radio Heute Morgen on the increasing case numbers (07.10.2020)
external pageSRF Tagesschau (07.10.2020)
external page10vor10 on case numbers (29.09.2020)
external pageSRF Radio interview (29.09.2020)
Article in the external pageTagblatt (22.09.2020)
COVID numbers in the Republik (23.09.2020)
external pageSRF interview on the current situation in Switzerland (03.09.2020)
external page10vor10 about growing case numbers and low hospitalization rates (27.08.2020)
external page10vor10 regarding masks (21.08.2020)
external pageSRF interview regarding growing case numbers (21.08.2020)
external pageNZZ article (16.08.2020, in German)
external pageSRF heute morgen (13.08.2020, in German)
external pageTagesschau on SRF1, Hauptausgabe 19:30 (11.08.2020, in German)
external pageZDF, Heute in Europa (09.07.2020, in German)
external pageNZZ article on the reproductive number (05.07.2020, in German)
external pageTagesschau on SRF1, Hauptausgabe 19:30 and report in external page10vor10 (02.07.2020, in German).
external pageSueddeutsche Zeitung reporting about the growing number of Swiss cases (02.07.2020, in German).
The current estimates of the reproductive number featured in external pageNZZ (08.06.2020, in German).
Tanja in external page10vor10 (28.05.2020, in German).
external pageVideo Clip produced by D-BSSE, ETHZ, featuring Jeremie Scire, Christian Beisel, and Tanja Stadler explaining our SARS-CoV-2 work (27.05.2020)
The external pageNZZ reports on the effect of releasing measures (23.05.2020, in German).
The external pageNZZ explaining challenges in estimating the reproductive number (16.05.2020, in German).
The external pageTagesanzeiger reports about our first results obtained from our SARS-CoV-2 sequencing project (13.05.2020, in German)
Tanja is guest in external page10vor10 (08.05.2020, in German).
Sarah Nadeau gives an interview on external pageSRF Radio about our SARS-CoV-2 sequencing project (01.05.2020, in German)
The external pageTagesanzeiger reported about our estimates of the reproductive number (28.04.2020, in German).
The external pageRepublik featured one of our results in their article "Wie wir mit Studien und Statistiken zu Corona umgehen" (28.04.2020, in German).
Our estimates of the reproductive number are part of the external pageNZZ Corona webpage (25.04.2020, in German).
Our work on estimating the reproductive number is presented in external pageNZZ (25.04.2020, in German).
external pageTagesschau on SRF1, Hauptausgabe 19:30 (21.04.2020, in German).
external pageLe Monde published an article explaining phylodynamics in the COVID-19 pandemic context (20.04.2020, in French)
external pageETH podcast with Tanja Stadler: "Speed of spread - The genome of the virus is the key (17.04.2020, in English)
ETH news report about ongoing ETH COVID-19 projects (17.04.2020, in German and in English)
external pageTagesschau on SRF1, Hauptausgabe 19:30 (11.04.2020, in German).
external pageRadio SRF1 Regionaljournal Basel Baselland (11.04.2020, in German).
Article in the external pageTagesanzeiger (10.04.2020, in German).
external pageRadio SRF1,2,3 (09.04.2020, in German).
ETH news explained our study calculating the reproductive number "Measures are having an impact" (08.04.2020, in German and in English).
An article in external pageNZZ on the monitoring of the reproductive number in Switzerland (05.04.2020, in German).
external pageFocus Online reported on our findings on the origin of Sars-CoV-2 (03.04.2020, in German).
An interview with Tanja Stadler was shown on external pageItalian TV, station RAI3 (30.03.2020, in Italian; scroll to 8:30min).
The external pageNZZ reported on our results regarding the start of the pandemic: "Kein Platz für Verschwörungstheorien: Der Stammbaum des Coronavirus enthüllt, woher es kommt" (29.03.2020, in German).
We contributed to a external pageTagesanzeiger article: "Corona-Dunkelziffer: So hoch könnte die Zahl wirklich sein" (18.03.2020, in German).
In the external pageMedienwoche, communication of scientists (including us) with the press regarding the COVID-19 outbreak is discussed (12.03.2020, in German).
external pageTagesanzeiger interview with Tanja Stadler: "Dann kann man ausrechnen, wie schnell sich das Virus ausbreitet" (10.03.2020, in German).
external pageSRF Puls and also external pagehere: "Digitale Virenjäger – Auf den Spuren von SARS-CoV-2" (09.03.2020, in German).
ETH news covered our initial findings "Calculating the beginnings of the coronavirus epidemic" (28.02.2020, in German and in English).