Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Two-year anniversary of first Swiss Covid-19 death
Tomorrow, March 5th, will mark two years since the new virus claimed its first Swiss victim: a 74-year-old woman who died at Vaud’s University Hospital in Lausanne (CHUV) after getting infected during a trip to Italy.
She was the first of 12,688 people who died from coronavirus in Switzerland since the beginning of the pandemic.
‘High degree of aggressiveness’: How Covid has changed Switzerland
At that time, the Federal Office of Public Health reported that nearly 100 people had tested positive for coronavirus; in all, at least 2.8 million of Switzerland's residents have contracted the disease.
Confinement and travel restrictions went into effect 11 days later, on March 16th, 2020.
Swiss authorities calm down worried public
The escalating conflict in Ukraine is sparking fears among many Swiss citizens about the war possibly impacting Switzerland.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Population (OFPP) has now put a page online, which will be updated according to the evolution of events, to answer questions from the public.
Aktuell erreichen uns vermehrt Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Militärintervention Russlands in der #Ukraine. Aktuelle Informationen zum #Bevölkerungsschutz finden Sie unter: https://t.co/ucj3MusiI1 #Schutzraum #Notvorrat #Jodtabletten #Alarmierung pic.twitter.com/DHeeVDoDQO
— BABS - OFPP - UFPP (@BABS_OFPP_UFPP) March 3, 2022
For the time being, “no particular measures should be taken”, OFPP said.
However, it recommends downloading and installing the Alertswiss application to be informed quickly in the event of danger.
Regarding possible reserves of food and basic necessities, the government said that “irrespective of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, it is recommended to build up emergency provisions”.
You can find out more in this article:
Reader question: Where is my nearest nuclear shelter in Switzerland?
Two elected officials are fighting for Gruyère cheese
Two Swiss MPs still can’t get over the decision of the American court in January stating that this cheese doesn’t have to be produced in the Gruyères region or, for that matter in Switzerland, to bear the name.
"It's a real slap in the face”, said one of deputies, Jacques Nicolet.
As a result, he and another MP, André Page, are calling on the Federal Council to find ways to guarantee that the cheese and other trademarked Swiss products are better protected abroad.
"This situation is not acceptable and a firm reaction from our federal authorities is needed," Page said.
READ MORE: Why are Swiss angry with Americans about Gruyere cheese?
Can Ukrainians be accommodated privately in Switzerland?
People in Switzerland who want to host Ukrainian refugees may wonder whether they can do so in their homes.
According to the new information from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Ukrainians with biometric passports can stay in the Schengen area, including in Switzerland, for up to 90 days without a visa and can live in private homes.
READ MORE: How Switzerland reacted to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and how you can help
After that, Ukrainians have to get permission to remain in the country, which could, under the current circumstances, become easier.
Private persons can host Ukrainian nationals in their home provided that the accommodation is free of charge. If the person is being accommodated against payment, their arrival must be reported to the local police, SEM says.
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]
Comments
See Also
Two-year anniversary of first Swiss Covid-19 death
Tomorrow, March 5th, will mark two years since the new virus claimed its first Swiss victim: a 74-year-old woman who died at Vaud’s University Hospital in Lausanne (CHUV) after getting infected during a trip to Italy.
She was the first of 12,688 people who died from coronavirus in Switzerland since the beginning of the pandemic.
‘High degree of aggressiveness’: How Covid has changed Switzerland
At that time, the Federal Office of Public Health reported that nearly 100 people had tested positive for coronavirus; in all, at least 2.8 million of Switzerland's residents have contracted the disease.
Confinement and travel restrictions went into effect 11 days later, on March 16th, 2020.
Swiss authorities calm down worried public
The escalating conflict in Ukraine is sparking fears among many Swiss citizens about the war possibly impacting Switzerland.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Population (OFPP) has now put a page online, which will be updated according to the evolution of events, to answer questions from the public.
Aktuell erreichen uns vermehrt Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Militärintervention Russlands in der #Ukraine. Aktuelle Informationen zum #Bevölkerungsschutz finden Sie unter: https://t.co/ucj3MusiI1 #Schutzraum #Notvorrat #Jodtabletten #Alarmierung pic.twitter.com/DHeeVDoDQO
— BABS - OFPP - UFPP (@BABS_OFPP_UFPP) March 3, 2022
For the time being, “no particular measures should be taken”, OFPP said.
However, it recommends downloading and installing the Alertswiss application to be informed quickly in the event of danger.
Regarding possible reserves of food and basic necessities, the government said that “irrespective of the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, it is recommended to build up emergency provisions”.
You can find out more in this article:
Reader question: Where is my nearest nuclear shelter in Switzerland?
Two elected officials are fighting for Gruyère cheese
Two Swiss MPs still can’t get over the decision of the American court in January stating that this cheese doesn’t have to be produced in the Gruyères region or, for that matter in Switzerland, to bear the name.
"It's a real slap in the face”, said one of deputies, Jacques Nicolet.
As a result, he and another MP, André Page, are calling on the Federal Council to find ways to guarantee that the cheese and other trademarked Swiss products are better protected abroad.
"This situation is not acceptable and a firm reaction from our federal authorities is needed," Page said.
READ MORE: Why are Swiss angry with Americans about Gruyere cheese?
Can Ukrainians be accommodated privately in Switzerland?
People in Switzerland who want to host Ukrainian refugees may wonder whether they can do so in their homes.
According to the new information from the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Ukrainians with biometric passports can stay in the Schengen area, including in Switzerland, for up to 90 days without a visa and can live in private homes.
READ MORE: How Switzerland reacted to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and how you can help
After that, Ukrainians have to get permission to remain in the country, which could, under the current circumstances, become easier.
Private persons can host Ukrainian nationals in their home provided that the accommodation is free of charge. If the person is being accommodated against payment, their arrival must be reported to the local police, SEM says.
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]
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.