On 19 January 2022, Switzerland’s government announced an extension of its Covid-19 measures, citing strain on hospitals. The requirement to work from home will stay in place until the end of February, as well as the rules on contact quarantine, said the Federal Council. The ‘2G’ and ‘2G plus’ rule for certain indoor settings, the […]
US diplomats in Geneva report suffering from Havana syndrome
Several US diplomats in Geneva appear to be victims of the Havana syndrome, according to RTS. The mysterious syndrome was first reported in Havana in Cuba in 2016 by US and Canadian embassy staff, but may have been occurring earlier. The symptoms include ear pain and ringing, nausea, disorientation, dizziness and cognitive difficulties. Brain scans […]
Covid: 164,000 new cases this week in Switzerland
This week, 164,333 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, up 16% from the 142,085 cases reported a week earlier. Given the high contagiousness of the Omicron variant, which now dominates (84%) in Switzerland, and how mild the symptoms often are, the real number of cases could be significantly higher. This week, 418 people were hospitalised with […]
Covid: demand for booster shots drops sharply in western Switzerland
The number of people getting third booster doses of vaccine against Covid-19 has fallen sharply in French-speaking Switzerland over recent weeks. In Geneva, around 200 people a day with appointments are failing to show up, reported Le Matin. In Vaud, the number of vaccination appointments made has dropped by half compared to the period leading […]
Covid: Swiss government cuts isolation and quarantine period to 5 days
On 12 January 2022, Switzerland’s federal government announced that the isolation and quarantine period in Switzerland would be reduced to five days with immediate effect. In addition, it proposes that the validity of Covid certificates be reduced to 270 days and that the measures introduced on 17 December 2021 to contain the spread of the […]
Swiss researchers develop edible alternative to plastic packaging
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 […]
