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Today in Switzerland For Members

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

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Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Zurich is not only pretty, but also great for students. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.

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Unvaccinated health professionals must get screened, government says

Given a steady increase in the number of new coronavirus infections in Switzerland, Health Minister Alain Berset said that no further restrictions will be lifted in August, as originally planned.

He also told cantonal health directors that “repeated and targeted” tests should be required for health professionals who have not been vaccinated or recovered from Covid as a way to curb further outbreaks.

As for visitors to hospitals or elder care homes, a valid Covid certificate must be shown at entry to avoid introducing the virus into healthcare facilities, Berset said.

READ MORE: Switzerland considers Covid certificates for restaurants as vaccination rates slow

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More tests to be also carried out in schools

With a new school year starting in the second half of August, health officials are urging cantons to continue frequent tests on students and unvaccinated teachers. This practice would detect and isolate asymptomatic individuals and prevent new outbreaks.

"Despite the proven effect of repeated tests, the measure has not yet taken hold in the whole of Switzerland”, Health Ministry pointed out.

Testing in schools should become more widespread, authorities say. Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP

If your name isn’t Müller, don’t run for office in Switzerland

People whose names sound foreign are less likely to get elected to public offices, according to a joint study from the universities of Lucerne and Geneva.

The study's authors found that the candidates who don’t have typically Swiss names (or who have typically foreign ones) are often removed from party lists — a phenomenon that is more common among right than left-wing parties and voters.

This discrimination is the reason why “people with a migration background are severely underrepresented” in Swiss politics, the study noted.

 Zurich and Lausanne among top 20 of the world’s best cities for students

The new ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds education consultants (QS)  provides an overview of the best places to live and study around the world.

Out of 115 cities surveyed, Zurich is the 7th position, mostly because its polytechnic institute, ETH Zurich, is the highest-ranked university in continental Europe by another QS study.

As for Lausanne, in the 19th place, it is highly ranked because it is home to ETH’s sister school, the Federal Polytechnic Institute (EPFL).

READ MORE: These are the most and least likeable cantons in Switzerland

 

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