Tag Archive: Editor’s Choice

Some charging for rapid Covid tests that are supposed to be free

2021-07-18

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2021-07-18

According to a report by the newspaper Le Matin, some testing centres in Switzerland are charging for rapid antigen tests despite the federal government announcing it would cover the cost of these tests.

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Covid: 67% of Geneva now has Antibodies

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

Vaccination has pushed the percentage of residents in Geneva with antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus up to 67%, according to a recent study by Geneva’s HUG hospital. To some extent, Geneva has been at the forefront of Switzerland’s experience with Covid-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the canton has recorded Switzerland’s highest rate of infection, 54% above the Swiss average.

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Price comparison site Comparis customer data exposed in ransomware attack

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

On 9 July 2021, the Swiss price comparison website Comparis revealed that it had been the victim of a ransomeware cyber attack on Wednesday, 7 July 2021. According to Comparis, the attack occurred in the morning. Comparis took down several of its sites as a security measure. The attackers demanded money in exchange for decrypting data.

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Covid: 483 New Cases in 24 hours in Switzerland

2021-07-14

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2021-07-14

On 13 July 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported 483 new cases of Covid-19, up from a daily average of 274 over the preceding three days. The rise in cases follows a rising trend in the incidence of the more infectious Delta variant, which now makes up the majority of DNA sequenced samples in Switzerland.

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EU Now Accepts Swiss Covid Certificates

2021-07-11

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2021-07-11

The European Commission has given the Swiss Covid certificate a green light for inclusion on the EU-wide digital Covid certificate platform. This means that holders of Swiss Covid certificates are able to present their Swiss-issued Covid certificate QR codes at ports of entry into EU nations under the same conditions as holders of certificates from EU nations.

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EU recognition of Swiss Covid certificate imminent

2021-07-11

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2021-07-11

According to RTS, Brussels is close to giving the Swiss Covid certificate a green light for inclusion on the EU-wide digital Covid certificate platform. This means that Swiss residents will soon be able to present their Swiss-issued Covid certificate QR codes at ports of entry into EU nations.

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Covid: Swiss Health Minister Concerned by Rest Home Staff Vaccine Refusal

2021-07-08

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2021-07-08

In Switzerland, 20% of people over 80 have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 at a time when the fast spreading Delta variant is gaining ground, said Alain Berset, Switzerland’s health minister, in an interview with the NZZ reported RTS.

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Nearly 40% have Long Covid after 7 months, finds Swiss study

2021-07-07

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2021-07-07

The longer term effects of Covid-19 can take many forms and there are numerous definitions of the disease. A study undertaken by HUG and UNIGE in Geneva, published on 6 July 2021, found that 39% of a group of Covid-19 patients still had symptoms after 7 months.

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Swiss social spending up nearly 60 percent in 20 years

2021-07-06

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2021-07-06

In 1999, social expenditure in Switzerland was CHF 13,370 per resident. By 2019, the same figure had reached CHF 21,300, a rise of nearly 60%. Over the same period, total inflation was around 11%. Applying inflation to CHF 13,370 brings the figure to CHF 14,480. Why has the cost risen beyond this and how has the extra spending been funded?

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Covid: Swiss Government sets out Autumn Scenarios and Measures

2021-07-06

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2021-07-06

On 30 June 2021, Switzerland’s Federal Council discussed ways of preparing Switzerland for the autumn and winter months and a possible renewed rise in the number of coronavirus cases. From the meeting ministers produced a report setting out various scenarios and response plans.

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Swiss Meat and Eggs often not very Swiss

2021-07-03

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2021-07-03

Any animal raised and slaughtered in Switzerland can be labelled Swiss. However, what the animal has been fed could be from anywhere. If animals are what they eat then much of the meat and eggs labelled Swiss aren’t very Swiss.

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Switzerland to open mass events and nightclubs to those with Covid certificates

2021-06-26

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2021-06-26

On 23 June 2021, Switzerland’s government announced that it was loosening a wide range of Covid-19 restrictions from Saturday. From Saturday, 26 June 2021 rules on nightclubs, large events, remote working, education and restaurants will be loosened. In addition, it will become easier for travelers to enter Switzerland.

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Covid: Swiss cases down 44% this week as Delta looms

2021-06-25

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2021-06-25

This week, 880 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Switzerland, down 44% from the week before (1,576). The daily number of cases on a 7-day rolling average is now 126. During the week, 22 people were reported being admitted to hospital in Switzerland with Covid-19.

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Covid: Delta variant does not worry Swiss vaccination commission

2021-06-21

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2021-06-21

Switzerland is well prepared to take on the Delta variant, said Christoph Berger, head of Switzerland’s federal vaccination commission. Based on what we currently know, there is no need to be concerned, he said, reported RTS.

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Covid: Swiss cases fall as UK cases turn exponential. Why?

2021-06-16

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2021-06-16

Coronavirus Data Explorer, May and June 2021
The number of Covid-19 cases in Switzerland continues to fall. On 15 June 2021, 243 new cases were reported. A month earlier the 7-day average was 2,161 cases. Swiss cases have dropped by 89% in a month. In the UK the number of cases has roughly tripled over the same period and the government has decided to extend current restrictions until 19 July 2021.

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Swiss Unemployment Continues to Fall in May

2021-06-10

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2021-06-10

By the end of May 2021, the percentage of Switzerland’s workforce registered as out of work had fallen to 3.1%, down from 3.3% in April 2021. The figures are based on those registered as unemployed at regional employment centres and exclude many of those that have been out of for more than two years and have exhausted their rights to collect unemployment benefits.

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Switzerland clears Covid-19 vaccine for 12 to 15 year-olds

2021-06-09

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2021-06-09

On 4 June 2021, Swissmedic, Switzerland’s drug approval authority, announced it was extending authorisation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to 12-15 year olds. The vaccine, also known under the brand name Comirnaty®, has had temporary ordinary authorisation for use in Switzerland on people aged 16 or over since 19 December 2020.

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Swiss pesticide votes – pesticides, antibiotics, gut bacteria, hormones and disease

2021-06-08

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2021-06-08

As we move through time scientific research improves our understanding of the world. The resulting revelations often point to changes that could lead to progress. However, these changes are rarely painless. Shifting away from the use of antibiotics on livestock and the agricultural use of pesticides are not small adjustments.

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Covid: how is Switzerland going on vaccinations?

2021-06-03

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2021-06-03

On 23 December 2021, a 90-year old resident of Luzern, was the first person in Switzerland to be vaccinated against Covid-19. In the roughly 5 months since then, more than 3 million people in Switzerland have received at least one dose of vaccine, representing around 36% of the population.

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Covid: new cases down 28% in Switzerland this week

2021-05-30

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2021-05-30

This week, 5,670 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in Switzerland, down 28% from the week before (7,843), continuing the downward trend of new numbers of recorded infections. The daily number of cases on a 7-day rolling average has more than halved (-58%) in 4 weeks falling from 1,924 to 810.

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