Currently, the Swiss supermarket Migros does not sell alcoholic drinks in its stores. Gottlieb Duttweiler, the retailer’s founder, instituted the policy to promote public health when the company was started in 1925. However, this autumn, the management of the cooperative is planning to vote on whether to allow alcohol on to the the company’s shelves […]
Covid: Swiss cases continue to rise this week
This week, 4,692 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Switzerland, up 55% on the number the week before (3,033). The daily number of cases on a 7-day rolling average was 670. The faster spreading Delta variant made up nearly all (97%) of the samples sequenced in Switzerland on 12 July 2021. Despite rising cases, the number […]
Italy to require Covid certificates to access restaurants and cinemas from 6 August
Today, Italy announced that valid Covid certificates will allow anyone 12 years old or over to dine indoors, go to cinemas or attend sports events, reported RSI. The rule change, which will come into effect on 6 August 2021, will allow those aged 12 and over who have received at least one dose of an […]
Swiss flood damage could cost half a billion francs
Switzerland’s four largest buildings insurers estimate the costs of recent weather events could reach half a billion francs across Switzerland, reported RTS. According to Grégoire Deiss, who works for the cantonal buildings insurer ECAB in Fribourg, the cost of recent storms and flooding could be around CHF 500 million across all of Switzerland, a figure […]
Vote to increase Swiss retirement age clears signature hurdle
The youth chapter of the PLR (FDP) has successfully collected enough signatures for an initiative to raise the official retirement age in Switzerland to 66 years old, reported RTS. On 16 July 2021, initiative organisers submitted 145,000 voter signatures as part of the formal process of launching a referendum in Switzerland. Under referendum rules a […]
New call for compulsory military service for Swiss women
This week, the Swiss Officers’ Society, a military association, announced that it was in favour of extending compulsory military service to both men and women, according to 20 Minutes. The association submitted a report, which included the recommendation to include compulsory service to women to Viola Amherd, Switzerland’s minister in charge of defense. Society president […]
Covid: call for unvaccinated to pay own hospital costs
Swiss parliamentarian Kurt Fluri (PLR/FDP) has suggested that those failing to get vaccinated who end up in hospital with Covid-19 be required to pay for the costs of their care out of their own pockets, according to the newspaper Le Matin. On 21 July 2021, Fluri put forward the suggestion via Switzerland’s German-speaking press as […]
Pressure mounts to end Switzerland’s free Covid tests
As queues become a more common sight outside Swiss night clubs, political pressure is mounting to end free Covid-19 tests that can allow the unvaccinated and unrecovered to enter clubs, according to 20 Minutes. Some politicians would like to see an end to taxpayer-funded raid antigen tests, which cost around CHF 50 a time. In […]
Antigen test option may be removed from Swiss Covid certificate
Experts from the Swiss National Covid-19 Science Task Force are concerned by the recent rise in Covid-19 cases in Switzerland and are looking for ways to improve the reliability of the Swiss Covid certificate. One option would be to remove the negative test option, reported Le Matin. In Switzerland, there are three ways to get […]
Switzerland to shift from cold heavy rain to warm sun
Switzerland has not had as much rain as it has received over the last few weeks for 70 years, according to analysis by RTS. Between 21 June and 13 July 2021, more rain has fallen on Switzerland than during the same period for 70 years. In Geneva there has been more rain during early summer […]
