Those with a vaping habit in Switzerland will soon have to pay tax on vaping liquid, reported RTS. On 26 October 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council sent a project to tax the product to the federal parliament. Different levels of tax will be applied to two different categories of product. Reusable products will have their liquids […]
Numerous Swiss health insurance price comparison sites misleading
Ahead of deciding on where best to insure in 2023 numerous websites claim to offer reliable health insurance comparison tools. However, many cannot be trusted, according to a report by RTS. Nine out the 16 websites reviewed by a consumer advocacy association failed the test. The nine failing sites offered no product comparison. Instead they […]
Covid: free booster shots available from 10 October in Switzerland
From 10 October 2022, booster vaccine shots against the SARS-CoV-2 virus will be available free of charge across Switzerland. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is recommending everyone 16 and over get a booster shot. A key aim of the vaccination programme is to reduce the load on hospitals over the autumn flu season, […]
Foreigners most at risk of domestic violence in Switzerland
In 2021, 11,148 people reported being victims of domestic violence in Switzerland, according to figures reported this week by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). This figure represents 0.13% of the population or 13 out of every 10,000. Overall, women and girls (18 per 10,000) were 2.3 times more likely than men and boys (8 per […]
More than 40% of cyclists do not wear helmets in Switzerland
More than 40% of cyclists in Switzerland do not wear helmets, according to BFA, a safety advisory group. In 2022, 44% of riders of regular bicycles did not wear head protection, a figure 1 percentage point higher than in 2021, said the report. The figure for riders of e-bikes was lower but displayed a similar […]
Switzerland to destroy 10 million doses of Covid vaccine
Switzerland is to destroy more than 10 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, reported RTS. The 10.3 million doses of vaccine have reached their expiry date, which cannot be extended, said the government. 2.5 million doses are stored in Switzerland with further 7.8 million stored in Belgium, said the Federal Office of Public Health […]
Swiss health insurance set to rise by most since 2010
On 27 September 2022, the Swiss government published health insurance premiums for 2023. On average premiums will rise by 6.6% with large variations depending on age and where you live. The 6.6% average increase in 2023 is the fifth largest rise since Switzerland’s current system of health insurance began in 1996. The last time it […]
Swiss experts concerned by sharp rise in teenage vaping
Disposable “puffs” and the marketing of them via addictive social media platforms has led to sharp rise in the number of children vaping in Switzerland. A report by RTS outlines the concerns, shows how ineffective legal bans have been so far and how helpless authorities feel in the face of the phenomenon. The health risks […]
Roger Federer bows out of tennis competition
Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, announced on 15 September 2022 that he would retire after competing in the Laver Cup later this month. Only Spain’s Nadal (22 titles) and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (21 titles) have more men’s Grand Slam singles titles than 41-year-old Federer. Federer, who was born in Basel, […]
Sharp rise in Swiss health premiums inevitable, says association
This week, less than a month before next year’s health insurance premiums are unveiled, santésuisse, a health insurance association, warned of unusually high hikes in the cost of Switzerland’s compulsory health insurance for 2023, reported RTS. Healthcare costs rose 6.4% in 2021 and are expected to rise 4% in 2022 and 2023, said santésuisse in […]
