Today, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) added 18 regions to its compulsory quarantine list. Anyone arriving in Switzerland from these place from 28 September 2020 will be required by law to quarantine for 10 days. From 14 September 2020, Switzerland shifted from a system of listing entire countries to one which lists whole […]
Cost of Swiss health insurance to rise in 2021
Compulsory Swiss health insurance premiums are set to rise by an average of 0.5% in 2021, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The average monthly premium will rise to CHF 316.50, 0.5% higher than in 2020. Premiums have risen an average of 3.7% p.a. since obligatory insurance was introduced in Switzerland in […]
Coronavirus: weekly cases down 15% in Switzerland
In the week to 25 September 2020, the reported number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Switzerland was 2,581, 15% lower than the 3,044 cases recorded the week before. The total number of recorded cases stood at 51,864 by 25 September 2020. The 7-day rolling average number of daily new cases this week was 369, down from 435 […]
Coronavirus: 20 percent of cases asymptomatic, according to Swiss study
Research published recently by the University of Bern estimates around 20% of Covid-19 cases are asymptomatic. When the researchers analysed 79 studies done from March to June 2020 and adjusted them for various factors, chief among them removing pre-symptomatic cases – those with no symptoms that went on to develop them – from those classified […]
Switzerland to ramp up seasonal flu vaccinations to cut Covid-19 co-infection risk
As winter approaches the federal and cantonal governments of Switzerland are hoping a larger number of people than normal will get the seasonal flu jab as the spread of Covid-19 continues, according to RTS. In a regular year Switzerland orders 1.2 million doses of the seasonal flu vaccine. These doses have already been ordered and […]
Climate activists lose appeal against conviction in Switzerland
On 23 September 2020, twelve climate activists were convicted on appeal at Vaud’s cantonal tribunal. In 2018, the activists entered a branch of the bank Credit Suisse in Lausanne, Switzerland and started playing tennis. Their prank aimed to draw attention to the bank’s investments in companies involved in the fossil fuel industry. Tennis alluded to […]
2500 students quarantined at Lausanne’s hotel school
Around three quarters of the students at the hotel school of Lausanne (EHL) have been placed in quarantine after a number of students tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, reported RTS. The 2,500 students affected will be isolated until 28 September 2020 to stop the spread of the virus. The Swiss canton of Vaud, where recorded infections […]
Confidence in vaccine safety remains low in Switzerland
Compared to much of the world, confidence in the safety of vaccines is low in Switzerland, according to a recently published study. In 2015, only 30% of Swiss questioned strongly agreed that vaccines were safe, ranking it 133rd out of 149 nations in terms of confidence in vaccine safety. This compared to 89% in Argentina […]
Referendum: Swiss to vote on buying new fighter jets
Swiss voters are asked to vote on a wide range of matters. On the 27 of September 2020, one of the questions voters face is whether the federal government should spend CHF 6 billion buying a new fleet of military jets. Switzerland is a neutral nation with a military dedicated to self defence that uses […]
New overnight trains planned between Switzerland and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona
Swiss Rail and ÖBB, the federal train operator in Austria, announced plans this week to join forces to launch new overnight train links. The planned services will include overnight trains between Zurich and Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. Demand for such services is on the rise, partly driven by climate change concerns. Taking a train to […]
