Category Archive: 3a) Health

Swiss to vote on healthcare funding rule changes

The rising cost of Switzerland’s compulsory health insurance is a major political issue. The government has hatched a plan aimed at improving incentives in the hope it will reduce the seemingly never ending rise in health insurance premiums. However, a number of people sceptical of the plan’s ability to deliver the saving have organised a vote against it, which takes place this weekend.

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Mercury found in all Tuna tested in Switzerland

Over recent weeks, mercury found in the tinned tuna sold across Europe has sparked a debate about the product. This week, RTS revealed the mercury levels of much of the tinned tuna sold in Switzerland.

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Switzerland may have passed 6th Covid peak

Data published this week on 19 July 2022, suggest that 6th wave Covid-19 infections in Switzerland may have peaked. Data published by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health show 46,099 new cases over the 7 days to 18 July 2022. Over the prior 7 days there were 55,339 cases. Recorded cases have dropped 17% week on week.

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Swiss health insurance could jump by 9 percent next year

According to the newspaper Le Matin Swiss health insurance premiums could rise by 7% to 9%, reported RTS. The future rise in the cost of health insurance is estimated based on data on the rising healthcare costs being passed on to health insurance companies. According to the data, costs rose during the second half of 2021. Across all of 2021 costs were up by 5.1% and the trend appears to have continued.

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Switzerland to drop all Covid restrictions

On 30 March 2022, Switzerland’s government announced the end of all measures aimed at reducing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from 1 April 2022. Currently, the only federal measures left are the requirement to wear masks on public transport and in health facilities and the obligation to self-isolate after infection with the disease.

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Covid cases up 42% in a week in Switzerland

This week, 171,085 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, up 42% from the 120,901 cases reported a week earlier. In addition, the reported number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised leapt too. This week 482 were admitted, up 37% from 352 the week before. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.comThe 7-day average case number had been in constant decline since the end of January 2022. However, the number of new cases turned upwards towards the...

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Covid: weekly cases and hospitalisations rising again in Switzerland

This week, 120,9017 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, up 24% from the 97,335 cases reported a week earlier. In addition, the reported number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised edged up slightly from 340 to 352 compared to the week before. Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.comThe 7-day average case number had been in constant decline since the end of January. However, the number began to turn upwards in the days leading up to the end...

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Covid: weekly cases and hospitalisations fall further as Switzerland drops nearly all measures

This week, 118,555 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, down 25% from the 157,683 cases reported a week earlier. The reported number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised also fell 20% from 492 to 392 across the week. Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.comCovid-19 deaths were also down. Across the week, 61 Covid-19 related deaths were reported, a figure 13% lower than the 70 reported the week before. In addition, the number of...

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Overwhelming majority of ICU patients in Switzerland unvaccinated, show data

On 25 January 2022, a study published by Zurich University Hospital found that 97% of Covid-19 ICU patients since the start of Switzerland’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign were unvaccinated.

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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 to e-cigarettes and proposes a rate 77% lower than the tax on tobacco cigarettes.

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Majority of Swiss in favour of compulsory vaccination, according to poll

According to poll results published over the weekend, 53% of those surveyed in Switzerland were in favour of making Covid-19 vaccinations compulsory, a percentage that rose to 69% for those working in the health sector, reported 20 Minutes.

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Zermatt restaurant operators in prison after defying Covid rules

Over the weekend the owners of a family-run restaurant were taken into police custody for defiantly operating their restaurant in contravention of Switzerland’s Covid rules, reported 20 Minutes.

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Covid: new cases up 30 percent this week in Switzerland

This week, 10,148 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Switzerland, up 30% from the 7,818 recorded the week before. On a 7-day moving average basis, the number of daily new cases was 1,450.

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Last authorised protest in Bern ahead of anti-Covid vote takes place peacefully

Last weekend, several thousand protestors assembled outside the Federal Palace in Bern to voice their opposition to Switzerland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, reported Tribune de Genève.

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Swiss life expectancy drops sharply in 2020

Recently published figures show the largest fall in male life expectancy in Switzerland since 1944 and the largest since 1962 for women.

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Thousands protest against Covid measures in Switzerland

Over the weekend, several thousand people took to Swiss streets to protest against Switzerland’s measures to reduce the impact of Covid-19, reported RTS.

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Swiss opposition to extension of Covid certificates lower than perceived

According to a recent survey, one third of Swiss are against the extension of Covid certificates. But most think opposition is higher.

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Covid: non-mRNA vaccine soon available in Switzerland

On 29 September 2021, Switzerland’s government announced it had signed a contract with Johnson & Johnson to receive 150,000 doses of its Covid-19 vaccine. The delivery of the doses is expected next week.

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Swiss health premiums to rise for many in 2022 despite average price fall

Compulsory Swiss health insurance premiums are on average set to fall by 0.2% in 2022, announced the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on 28 September 2021. This is the first time since 2008 that average premiums have fallen. © Francisco Javier Zea Lara | Dreamstime.comBasic health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland and governed by federal law called LAMal. Insurers must offer basic insurance to everyone who applies regardless of...

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Swiss government defends its strategy ahead of second anti-Covid vote

On 28 November 2021, Swiss voters will be asked whether they accept laws passed by the government on 19 March 2021 that paved the way for the introduction of Switzerland’s Covid certificate, a system that provides proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test.

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