Today in Switzerland: A round-up of the latest news on Friday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Moderna asks Switzerland to approve its Covid vaccine for children under 12
The US manufacturer has submitted a request to Switzerland’s drug authorisation agency Swissmedic for approval of its vaccine for children between ages six and 12.
Moderna’s vaccine (along with Pfizer's) has been allowed in Switzerland for adolescents aged 12 years and over since August 9th.
The manufacturer is asking Swissmedic to broaden the approval of the vaccine for six to 11-year-olds, who would receive two reduced doses 28 days apart.
“Swissmedic is reviewing the application documentation, which it is receiving an ongoing basis, in an accelerated process without compromising on the scientific review”, the agency said.
Switzerland is the fifth most prosperous country in the world
Switzerland is still among the most prosperous nations in the world, according to the new index from the London-based think-tank, Legatum Institute.
While the country is fifth of 167 nations across all categories, it ranks first in the world for its economy and second for safety and security
You can see how it ranks in other categories here.
Only the Scandinavian nations are rated higher than Switzerland; its immediate neighbours are lagging behind, with Germany in the ninth place, Austria in 11th, France in 22nd, and Italy in 31st.
Rail service from Geneva Airport to Lausanne remains disrupted
Passengers travelling to and from Geneva airport or central Geneva toward Lausanne have been hit since November 9th by cancellations and delays caused by repairs of sink holes opening up on the tracks between the two cities.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) initially said normal service would resume on November 16th, but that timeline is not extended until next Tuesday.
In the meantime, only four trains per hour and per direction are in service, running at reduced speed, and the cancelled ones are being replaced by buses between towns of Allaman and Morges.
READ MORE: Geneva-Lausanne line will not resume full service before Tuesday
Netflix increases —again — the prices of Swiss subscriptions
Netflix subscribers in Switzerland will soon be paying more to watch its offerings.
Even though the number of Swiss users has grown, the streaming service has decided to increase its prices list, with the exception of the basic subscription.
Soon this pleasure will cost more. Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
The standard subscription, in HD resolution and usable on two devices, now costs 18.90 francs monthly instead of 16.90 francs. As for the Premium subscription, it goes from 21.90 to 24.90 francs. HD resolution and streaming to four devices is also included in this subscription.
The basic subscription in SD resolution, which can only be used on one device, remains the same, at 11.90 francs.
Subscription prices had already been increased in 2019.
"We change our prices from time to time in order to continuously expand and improve our range of series, films and shows, as well as the quality of our service," Netflix spokesperson said.
READ MORE: Is Switzerland set to hold a referendum on Netflix?
New kind of Covid vaccine to be tested in Lausanne
A new generation of vaccine against coronavirus, in the form of a patch, will be tested from January 3rd by Unisanté, the university center of general and public medicine.
Unlike conventional vaccines which stimulate the production of antibodies, the patch relies on T lymphocytes, responsible for cellular immunity, to eliminate cells infected by the virus.
This new technology offers real hope, according to Unisanté, as the vaccine has the potential to provide long-lasting immunity against Covid. It is also better suited to potential viral mutations.
"In anticipation of a probable persistence of the virus in the coming years and the possibility of the emergence of new variants less sensitive to current vaccines, it is necessary to develop different technologies," said For Blaise Genton, head of the study.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Moderna asks Switzerland to approve its Covid vaccine for children under 12
The US manufacturer has submitted a request to Switzerland’s drug authorisation agency Swissmedic for approval of its vaccine for children between ages six and 12.
Moderna’s vaccine (along with Pfizer's) has been allowed in Switzerland for adolescents aged 12 years and over since August 9th.
The manufacturer is asking Swissmedic to broaden the approval of the vaccine for six to 11-year-olds, who would receive two reduced doses 28 days apart.
“Swissmedic is reviewing the application documentation, which it is receiving an ongoing basis, in an accelerated process without compromising on the scientific review”, the agency said.
Switzerland is the fifth most prosperous country in the world
Switzerland is still among the most prosperous nations in the world, according to the new index from the London-based think-tank, Legatum Institute.
While the country is fifth of 167 nations across all categories, it ranks first in the world for its economy and second for safety and security
You can see how it ranks in other categories here.
Only the Scandinavian nations are rated higher than Switzerland; its immediate neighbours are lagging behind, with Germany in the ninth place, Austria in 11th, France in 22nd, and Italy in 31st.
Rail service from Geneva Airport to Lausanne remains disrupted
Passengers travelling to and from Geneva airport or central Geneva toward Lausanne have been hit since November 9th by cancellations and delays caused by repairs of sink holes opening up on the tracks between the two cities.
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) initially said normal service would resume on November 16th, but that timeline is not extended until next Tuesday.
In the meantime, only four trains per hour and per direction are in service, running at reduced speed, and the cancelled ones are being replaced by buses between towns of Allaman and Morges.
READ MORE: Geneva-Lausanne line will not resume full service before Tuesday
Netflix increases —again — the prices of Swiss subscriptions
Netflix subscribers in Switzerland will soon be paying more to watch its offerings.
Even though the number of Swiss users has grown, the streaming service has decided to increase its prices list, with the exception of the basic subscription.
Soon this pleasure will cost more. Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
The standard subscription, in HD resolution and usable on two devices, now costs 18.90 francs monthly instead of 16.90 francs. As for the Premium subscription, it goes from 21.90 to 24.90 francs. HD resolution and streaming to four devices is also included in this subscription.
The basic subscription in SD resolution, which can only be used on one device, remains the same, at 11.90 francs.
Subscription prices had already been increased in 2019.
"We change our prices from time to time in order to continuously expand and improve our range of series, films and shows, as well as the quality of our service," Netflix spokesperson said.
READ MORE: Is Switzerland set to hold a referendum on Netflix?
New kind of Covid vaccine to be tested in Lausanne
A new generation of vaccine against coronavirus, in the form of a patch, will be tested from January 3rd by Unisanté, the university center of general and public medicine.
Unlike conventional vaccines which stimulate the production of antibodies, the patch relies on T lymphocytes, responsible for cellular immunity, to eliminate cells infected by the virus.
This new technology offers real hope, according to Unisanté, as the vaccine has the potential to provide long-lasting immunity against Covid. It is also better suited to potential viral mutations.
"In anticipation of a probable persistence of the virus in the coming years and the possibility of the emergence of new variants less sensitive to current vaccines, it is necessary to develop different technologies," said For Blaise Genton, head of the study.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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