A recent report by the Swiss Covid-19 Science Task Force estimates that as much as 40% of Switzerland’s population may have been infected with the Omicron varient over a four-week period. At the peak of the Omicron wave, almost 900,000 people in Switzerland tested positive for the Omicron varient over four weeks. Adding in unreported […]
Switzerland lifts nearly all anti-Covid measures
On 16 February 2022, the Swiss government announced that masks and Covid certificates will no longer be required to enter shops, restaurants, cultural venues and other public settings and events from Thursday, 17 February 2022. The requirement to wear masks in the workplace and the recommendation to work from home will also end. The only […]
Swiss vote results on animal testing, stamp duty, tobacco and media support
On 13 February 2022, Swiss voters voted on four federal initiatives on animal testing, stamp duty, tobacco advertising and government support for media. A majority (79.08%) of Swiss voters rejected a ban on animal testing, a government plan to remove investment stamp duty (62.67% against) and government support for Swiss media (54.56% against). The only initiative achieving […]
Swiss to vote on government support for media
On 13 February 2022, Swiss voters will decide on whether to accept a federal law on a package of measures to support the media in Switzerland. Switzerland’s government voted to support the media in Switzerland as it adjusts to the impacts of the shift to digital which has seen large platforms that create no content […]
Swiss to vote on banning animal and human experiments
On 13 February 2022, Swiss voters will vote on whether to the ban animal and human experiments. Animal experiments are permitted in Switzerland, as they are in many other countries. They are used in the development of drugs and therapies that offer better treatment of human and animal diseases. Switzerland currently has some of the […]
Swiss to vote on banning advertising tobacco to young people
Tobacco is big business. Its scale makes the industry a formidable foe for those hoping to spare people the damaging health effects of tobacco addiction. Most people start smoking when they are young so a group in Switzerland launched an initiative to ban tobacco advertising targeted at young people. Swiss voters will vote on the proposal […]
Swiss to vote on whether to remove stamp duty
Switzerland’s government decided to scrap Switzerland’s unusual 1% tax on funds invested beyond CHF 1 million in Swiss companies. However, some politicians are against the change and launched a referendum against it after collecting the 50,000 signatures needed launch a vote to undo a government decision. Switzerland’s relatively low corporate tax rates are one reason […]
Swiss and British universities team up to press EU for Horizon access
Both the UK and Switzerland have lost access to the Europe-wide scientific research programme known as Horizon Europe. The UK dropped out when it left the EU and Switzerland when its bilateral talks with the EU broke down last year. The programme supports big projects that would not be possible at a national level. More […]
Covid: weekly cases and hospitalisations fall sharply in Switzerland
This week, 157,683 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, down 24% from the 208,542 cases reported a week earlier. The fall in the reported number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised was more muted, falling 5% from 518 to 492 across the week. Covid-19 deaths were also down. Across the week, 70 Covid-19 related deaths were reported, a figure […]
Lausanne offers drink covers to combat drug rape risk
The city of Lausanne announced that it would spend CHF 5,000 on 4,000 silicon glass covers to help those frequenting bars and night clubs in the city protect themselves from being drugged with a drug known as GHB, reported 20 Minutes. GHB is a well known date rape drug, a category of drugs used to […]
