A precise measure of the impact of the first wave of Covid-19 on life expectancy. Regional differentials in Switzerland

Based on publicly available data supplied by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), we calculated life tables by sex and by week for seven major regions of Switzerland in 2020, up to October 26th. These life tables provide information on the trends of life expectancy at birth and at the age of 65 years during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. The results show a strong cyclical decrease in life expectancy, particularly in Ticino, where this variable has decreased by almost 6 years compared to the 2019 life expectancy, and in the Lake Geneva region. The other regions of Switzerland observed more modest decreases during the first wave, generally not exceeding a 2-year reduction. This decrease can be explained to some extent by seasonal variations in this indicator. In conclusion, the very sharp decrease in the average lifespan observed in the two regions mentioned above suggests that the first wave of the epidemic had a significant impact. It also reflects an unfavourable health situation. The life expectancy at the age of 65 years observed at the end of March 2020 in Ticino corresponded to the average life expectancy observed in Switzerland forty years ago. The calculated indicators have the advantage of accounting for the age structures of the respective populations. They therefore demonstrate their usefulness in monitoring during a pandemic, such as the one occurring currently.