All seven members of the government are to get the jab, with 70-year-old Ueli Maurer first up. They thus hope to reassure a sceptical public. Health Minister Alain Berset reminded the public on Saturday, when Swissmedic announced the authorisation of the first Covid-19 vaccine, that the vaccine was free and not compulsory.
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Demographics
A third are eager to be vaccinated against Covid-19
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Just over 35% of people surveyed in Switzerland want to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as possible.
To achieve a sufficient level of immunity in the population, it will take “from a few months to a year. In the best case, six months”, according to Virginie Masserey, who heads infectious diseases at the Federal Office of Public Health. “It’s hard to say. It depends on how quickly the public wants to get vaccinated.”
Almost 107,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be delivered in the next few days, and 250,000 a month from January.
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Demographics
First Covid-19 vaccine approved for Swiss use
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Swiss health regulator Swissmedic has approved the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech.
The green light from Swissmedic on Saturday has prompted the cantons to review their vaccination schedules, which had initially been planned for the beginning of January. Most will set up vaccination centres and mobile teams.
Canton Lucerne will kick off the vaccination marathon on December 23, followed by Basel City, Fribourg and Valais on December 28. The other cantons in central Switzerland, including Zurich, will start on January 4, unless they join Lucerne and begin earlier.
Jura, which still faces uncertainty about storage and delivery, will also begin on January 4. Neuchâtel and Vaud, which had set campaign launch dates of January 4 and 11 respectively, are meeting on Monday to discuss the situation. Geneva will unveil its vaccination plan on Tuesday.
The public health department in Italian-speaking canton Ticino said on Saturday that the first doses of the Covid vaccine would be delivered at the beginning of January.
Bern is sticking to its plan to start vaccinations on January 11.
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Swiss Politics
Coronavirus: the situation in Switzerland
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An overview of the latest Covid-related information in the Alpine nation.
Swiss study examines why women and men choose different professions
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According to a new study, the fact that there are still prevalently female and male professions is down to the nature of the job.
Swiss president unveils new theme park dedicated to Saint Bernards
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The new Barryland theme park in Martigny, south-western Switzerland, was officially opened on Thursday in the presence of Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter.
Swiss court rejects diplomats’ daughter’s request for permanent residence
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The 17-year-old daughter of a diplomatic couple working in Switzerland is not entitled to a residence permit, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled.
Swiss hospitals urge faster recognition of foreign medical qualifications
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Foreign doctors wishing to work in a Swiss hospital have to wait several months for their diplomas to be recognised, a situation the hospital association H+ calls 'untenable'.
Switzerland to introduce code of conduct for collecting referendum signatures
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Commercial collectors of signatures for initiatives and referendums could be given a legally non-binding code of conduct. This proposal comes from the Federal Chancellery following the discovery of thousands of falsified signatures.
Priest in Switzerland accused of sexually assaulting minors
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The trial of a priest accused of sexually abusing nine people opened on Thursday in the Ticino cantonal criminal court in Lugano, southern Switzerland.
Two out of three people in Switzerland use more than one language daily
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Two out of three people in Switzerland regularly use several languages in their everyday lives, most often the country's national languages.
Destroyed Swiss village of Blatten to be rebuilt within four years
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After the devastating landslide, Blatten in Valais should be standing again by 2029. Municipal president Matthias Bellwald confirmed the corresponding plans to the Keystone-SDA news agency on Wednesday, which he had presented at a municipal meeting the previous evening.
Lufthansa mulls importing its future Boeing aircraft via Switzerland
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Buying new Boeing aircraft from the United States via Switzerland could reduce the US trade deficit with Switzerland and avoid punitive customs duties, says a newspaper report.
Swiss environment minister ‘hopeful’ plastic pollution treaty within reach
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Swiss Environment Minister Albert Rösti said he's "hopeful until the end" that an ambitious agreement against plastic pollution can be negotiated by the end of the year.
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New anti-corona measures: restaurants closed, ski areas open
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Switzerland to close restaurants, bars for a month from Tuesday to curb the spread of the coronavirus, ski areas remain open, the government says.
Emergency vaccine approval not legal option in Switzerland
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Emergency approval process used by some countries to speed up the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines is not a legal option in Switzerland, Swissmedic says.
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