A recent study by Interpharma and Santésuisse shows how rapidly drug prices have risen in Switzerland over the 10 years to 2020. Between 2010 and 2020, medicine prices have risen by nearly 37% in Switzerland. In addition, the cost of basic health insurance has risen at 3 times the rate of GDP over the same […]
Covid: new cases down 28% in Switzerland this week
This week, 5,670 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Switzerland, down 28% from the week before (7,843), continuing the downward trend of new numbers of recorded infections. The daily number of cases on a 7-day rolling average has more than halved (-58%) in 4 weeks falling from 1,924 to 810. With around 34% of Switzerland’s population vaccinated […]
Covid: UK now on Swiss risk list
On 27 May 2021, the UK was added Switzerland’s list of risk countries. This means that anyone arriving in Switzerland from the UK from 6pm on Thursday must quarantine upon arrival, with a few exceptions. The UK was added to the Federal Office of Public Health’s (FOPH) list of countries with a worrying variant, alongside […]
Unisex toilets find political support in Vaud
A majority of Vaud’s parliament voted in favour of looking at a proposal to exempt those providing toilets to the public from the current legal requirement to provide separate toilets for men and women, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. Under the proposal, put forward by Vassilis Venizelos of the Green Party, establishments, such as […]
Swiss government says no to EU deal
At its meeting on 26 May 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council evaluated the results of Switzerland’s negotiations with the EU around the institutional framework agreement, an agreement aimed at replacing the country’s current patchwork of agreements with the bloc, and decided not to sign the document as it stands and communicated its decision to Brussels. The […]
Swiss fighter jet crashes in Alps
On 26 May 2021, the Swiss government announced that one of its Tiger F-5 military aircraft had crashed in the Alps at around 9am. The aircraft crashed in the region of Melchsee-Frutt in the canton of Obwalden at around 9am. The pilot was able to eject before the aircraft crashed into the ground and was […]
Covid: Swiss government announces more restriction easing from Monday
On 26 May 2021, Switzerland’s government announced a further round of lifting of Covid-19 related restrictions that will take effect on Monday 31 May 2021. The Federal Council said it is going further than proposed in the consultation, particularly with regard to events, private gatherings and restaurants. Better than expected epidemiological data have made greater […]
Geneva to host June meeting of Biden and Putin
On 25 May 2021, the White House confirmed that presidents Biden and Putin are to meet in Geneva on 16 June 2021. The meeting comes at a time of tension between the United States and Russia. President Biden has criticised the detention of Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition leader, Russia’s agression towards Ukraine and interference […]
Fake meat sales on the rise in Switzerland
Sales of fake or faux meat products rose sharply in Switzerland in 2020, according to figures recently published by Switzerland’s Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG). Since 2016, the value of meat substitutes sold in Switzerland has more than doubled from CHF 32 million to CHF 72 million. However, it remains niche accounting for only 1.3% […]
Swiss Eurovision entry top choice of judges and artists
Switzerland’s Eurovision entry, the song Tout l’Univers (The whole universe) by Gjon’s Tears, came third in the 2021 Eurovision final held on 22 May 2021. However, it was the judges’ favourite. The 26 acts in the grand final garnered points ranging from 524 for the winner Maneskin from Italy, to zero for James Newman, the […]
