Packaging lightens the human load on the environment by substantially cutting food wastage. However, it comes with its own environmental problems. Micro plastic can now be found in many corners of the ecosystem. Swiss researchers might have come up with a solution that improves the problem at both ends by turning certain food waste into […]
Covid: new cases reach a record 142,000 this week in Switzerland
This week, 142,085 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, a record high since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. Given the high contagiousness of the Omicron variant, which now dominates in Switzerland, and how mild the symptoms sometimes are, the real number of cases could be significantly higher. At the same time, […]
Covid: vaccination plus recovery may provide super immunity, suggests research
A small unreviewed study in Austria suggests those who have been vaccinated and exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus may develop a hybrid super immunity. The Austrian study, which included around 100 participants, suggests that vaccination combined with recovery from infection, regardless of the order, may produce a hybrid immunity that can neutralise all forms of […]
Covid: Omicron now dominant in Switzerland
According to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is now dominant in Switzerland. On 30 December 2021, the FOPH announced that 65% of Covid-19 cases were Omicron and only 35% were Delta. The latest variant was first detected in Switzerland on 19 November 2021 and rose from […]
Switzerland set to tax e-cigarettes
On 17 December 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council put forward a plan to tax the liquids used for e-cigarettes, reported RTS. The Federal Council is proposing a tax similar to the tax on tobacco but at a lower rate in line with e-cigarettes’ lower toxicity. The government does not want to discourage tobacco smokers from transitioning […]
Basel City makes roof solar panels compulsory
Last week, the parliament of the cantonal government of Basel-City voted in favour of banning the use of heating oil and making roof solar panels compulsory by 2035. The legal details have not yet been worked out, so it remains unclear what the new rules will look like at this stage. Currently, new buildings in […]
Covid: Swiss government now recommends boosters after 4 months as Omicron spreads
On 21 December 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Public Health (FOPH) and Federal Vaccination Commission (EKIF) announced that they had adjusted their recommendation for administering booster shots of mRNA vaccines from a minimum of 6 months after the last shot to a minimum of 4 months. The recommendation applies to everyone aged 16 or over, […]
Covid: rising patient numbers add to pressure on Swiss hospitals this week
This week, 57,836 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, down 3% from the 59,503 reported the week before. However, despite the new case rate stabilising, hospitalisations and deaths are elevated and have the government concerned. On 17 December 2021, the Federal Council described the epidemiological situation as extremely worrying. The number of hospital admissions continues […]
Covid: Swiss government tightens restrictions from Monday
On 17 December 2021, Switzerland’s federal government announced new stricter Covid measures from Monday 20 December 2021. From Monday, only people who have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid will be able to enter restaurants, cultural, sporting and leisure venues and attend indoor events. Restricting access to these two groups has been dubbed the […]
Covid: Swiss government recommends vaccination of 5-11 year olds
This week, Switzerland’s federal government recommended two-dose Covid-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11, reported RTS, in particular those suffering from chronic illness. On 10 December 2021, Swissmedic, Switzerland’s drug approval agency, announced its approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use on children of this age. Once the vaccines are available for this age […]
