On Tuesday, trains services between Geneva and Lausanne were halted after the ground near part of the rail network collapsed in Tolochenaz near Morges. Trains started operating between the two cities early on Friday morning after a 3-day hiatus. From 5 am on Friday trains started running but were required to slow to 20 km/h […]
After 95 years, Migros set to sell alcohol
Last weekend the management of one of Switzerland’s two largest supermarkets voted in favour of selling alcohol in its stores, reported the company. Company founder Gottlieb Duttweiler, who passed away in 1962, did not want the business to sell alcohol, something that was prevented by the cooperative’s constitution. Duttweiler did not want to fuel alcohol […]
Switzerland’s fastest and slowest growth cantons
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office published the latest cantonal GDP figures. Switzerland’s overall GDP growth in 2019 was 1.2%. However there were wide cantonal differences. The six fastest growing cantons in 2019 were Obwalden (+3.5%), Glarus (+3.2%), Zug (+2.7%), Basel-City (+2.6%), Luzern (+2.6%) and Valais (+2.5%). At the other end of the spectrum were […]
No explosion in side effects from Covid vaccines in Switzerland
Since vaccinations against Covid-19 began late last year in Switzerland 11.1 million shots have been administered to 5.8 million people. Over this period, 9,834 people have reported reactions coinciding with vaccination, of which 3,396 were considered serious, a ratio of around 1 serious report per 1,700 people. Swissmedic, Switzerland’s drug approval and monitoring agency, said […]
Covid: new cases up 45% this week in Switzerland
This week, 20,308 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, up 45% from the 13,983 recorded the week before. On a 7-day moving average basis, the number of daily new cases was 2,901. Once the numbers catch up hospitalisations are likely to be higher this week than the week before. Last week 228 people entered hospital with […]
Covid passes may be required on Swiss ski lifts this season
This week, Switzerland’s lift association (RMS) put together a health protection plan for the coming ski season, which includes the possibility of introducing a requirement to present a valid Covid certificate to access lifts, reported RTS. Like last winter, RMS decided that lift users will need to wear masks in enclosed lifts and keep the […]
Former Swiss parliamentarian blocked by Facebook for posting conspiracy theories
A vocal supporter of the 28 November 2021 vote against Switzerland’s Covid-19 laws, former federal parliamentarian and former leader of the UDC/SVP in the canton of Valais, Oskar Freysinger had one of his recent interview posts blocked by Facebook this week, reported Le Matin. In the interview, which was successfully posted on other social media, […]
Older Swiss rush to get third Covid-19 vaccinations
Earlier this week, some of those queuing for third shots of Covid-19 vaccine in Zurich had to be sent home because stocks of vaccine had run out, reported 20 Minutes. Similar scenes were reported across Switzerland. On 8 November 2021, the Swiss federal government launched a week-long vaccination push as new cases rose sharply. Until […]
Domestic violence widespread in Switzerland, according to survey
According to a recent study, 42% of women and 24% of men reported being subject to violence by their partner in Switzerland. Across both groups the percentage was 33%. The survey, run by Sotomo on behalf of the National Federation for women’s solidarity, questioned 3,597 people across Switzerland. The National Federation for women’s solidarity provides […]
What you need to know about the new Swiss Covid certificates
On 3 November 2021, the Swiss government added some upgrades to Swiss Covid certificates that expand the ways they can be obtained and their validity when used in Switzerland. The changes will only be valid in Switzerland and come into effect on 16 November 2021. Validity extension for the recovered Those who have a PCR […]
