Pesticides are a hot political topic in Switzerland. On 13 June 2021, there are two votes centred on tightly restricting their use. This week Switzerland’s small farmers announced their support for a nationwide ban on synthetic pesticide use. Synthetic pesticides include agrochemicals containing compounds that do not occur in nature. The ban would be applied […]
Swiss government signs deal with Roche for new Covid drug
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have come up with a monoclonal antibody treatment for Covid-19, which Switzerland’s federal government has agreed to buy, according to RTS. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) announced the deal this week without disclosing the terms of the deal. The government has agreed to buy 3,000 doses, […]
Covid: 80% of nation must be immunised to stop spread, says Swiss health minister
This week, Alain Berset, Switzerland’s health minister said that 80% of the population must be immunised for the virus to stop spreading, according to RTS. Vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus is voluntary in Switzerland. Currently, estimates suggest only 60% of Switzerland’s population is prepared to be vaccinated, according to Berset, a figure below the level […]
Covid: the 3 phases of Switzerland’s return to normal
This week, Switzerland’s government set out the three phases of its plan to return to normal at a press conference recorded by RTS. The first is the protection phase, which we are currently in. This involves vaccinating the vulnerable and could last until the end of May 2021. The second is the stabilisation phase. This […]
Swiss Covid certificates to be unveiled by mid-May
On 22 April 2021, Switzerland’s federal government said it was aiming to have developed a standardised, forgery-proof and internationally recognised Covid certificate by the summer and that the final design would be unveiled by mid-May. According to Swiss law, anyone who has been vaccinated, has recovered from or has recently tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 […]
Health insurers encouraged to use reserves to cut or repay premiums
In 2020, total reserves held by Swiss health insurance companies reached CHF 11.3 billion, a level equivalent to 203% of the minimum required, according to RTS. Excess reserves jumped recently after the government cut the minimum reserve level by one third, part of a move designed to encourage health insurers to align premiums more closely […]
Covid: 14,800 new cases in Switzerland this week
This week, saw 14,856 new Covid-19 cases in Switzerland, up 3% from a week before (14,451). The 7-day average is currently 2,122 new daily cases, up from 2,064 last week. There were 53 Covid-19 deaths this week, down from 98 last week. By 16 April 2021, 8.5% of Switzerland’s population was fully vaccinated, up from […]
Bio Suisse rejects anti-pesticide initiative in favour of its margins
The organic association Bio Suisse has come out against an upcoming referendum in June 2021 that aims to restrict Swiss farm income support payments to those who renounce the use of pesticide and the non-medical use of antibiotics on livestock. A popular reason for buying organic food is the concerns around the negative effects of […]
Covid: Switzerland maintains air links with Brazil despite new variant risks
It is still possible to fly to Switzerland from Brazil where a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 is circulating. This variant appears to be more contagious, more virulent and able to re-infect those who have had the original strain. Studies in Brazil suggests the P1 variant is 2.2 to 2.5 times more contagious. If this […]
FILM – YALOM’S CURE – existential therapy presented by Swiss filmmaker
16 April 2021. By Neptune YALOM’S CURE **** An hour and 17 minutes of this documentary will leave you feeling as though you’ve been cleansed, rehabilitated and instructed by a healing guru. For free – or just the price of the movie ticket! The Swiss filmmaker Sabine Gisiger went over to California to interview Irvin […]
