A first analysis of excess mortality in Switzerland in 2020.

Gabriel A Picone,Isabella Locatelli,Valentin Rousson

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0253505

Gabriel A Picone, Isabella Locatelli + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253505

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo quantify excess all-cause mortality in Switzerland in 2020, a key indicator for assessing direct and indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsUsing official data on deaths in Switzerland, all-cause mortality in 2020 was compared with that of previous years using directly standardized mortality rates, age- and sex-specific mortality rates, and life expectancy.ResultsThe standardized mortality rate was 8.8% higher in 2020 than in 2019, returning to the level observed 5–6 years before, around the year 2015. This increase was greater for men (10.6%) than for women (7.2%) and was statistically significant only for men over 70 years of age, and for women over 75 years of age. The decrease in life expectancy in 2020 compared to 2019 was 0.7%, with a loss of 9.7 months for men and 5.3 months for women.ConclusionsThere was an excess mortality in Switzerland in 2020, linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as this excess only concerned the elderly, the resulting loss of life expectancy was restricted to a few months, bringing the mortality level back to 2015.

Highlights

There was an excess mortality in Switzerland in 2020, linked to the COVID-19 pandemic
As this excess only concerned the elderly, the resulting loss of life expectancy was restricted to a few months, bringing the mortality level back to 2015
The year 2020 will be remembered as the year of the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Summary

Objective

To quantify excess all-cause mortality in Switzerland in 2020, a key indicator for assessing direct and indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data Availability Statement: All the data used in this study are publicly available on websites reported in the Data Section. We used official data on deaths in Switzerland by sex and age group published for 2020 and previous years (going back to 1970) by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO The size of the Swiss population as of January 1, 2011-2020, stratified by sex and by one-year age groups (with a last open class of 100 +), can be found in the FSO database Bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiques/population/ effectif-evolution.html) and for January 1, 1876- The size of the Swiss population as of January 1, 2011-2020, stratified by sex and by one-year age groups (with a last open class of 100 +), can be found in the FSO database (https://www. bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiques/population/ effectif-evolution.html) and for January 1, 1876-

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