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Today in Switzerland For Members

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

Helena Bachmann
Helena Bachmann - [email protected]
Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Attentiveness and quality of medical care are among the top criteria for choice of hospital. Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

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

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Epidemiological update: New Covid variants are emerging

A combination of Delta and Omicron variants that has been found in an increasing number of chronic infections has given rise to a new name: Deltacron.

What do we know about this newcomer?

“There is currently no evidence that this mutation would spread quickly…and it can be assumed that the immunity level of the population is good, " said Richard Neher, member of the Covid-19 Task Force.

But there is also another variant circulating in Switzerland: Omicron’s “little brother” known as BA.2, which is even more contagious but not more virulent than its big sibling, at least for vaccinated people.

The epidemic rebound is also driving up daily hospitalisation numbers in Switzerland. “The increase in the number of cases is most strongly affecting those over the age of 60, and there is a significant increase in the number of hospitalisations”, the Covid-19 Task Force pointed out in its latest report published on Tuesday.

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The Federal Council in favour of a free Travelcard for Ukrainians

Ukrainian refugees arriving in Switzerland could receive a free “solidarity” ticket for public transport, allowing them to  move more easily around their local area.

These people are already allowed to travel free of charge to a destination anywhere in the country when fleeing Ukraine.

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) noted that people with Ukrainian passports can  use public transport free of charge to get to their destination or to cross the country on the way to another. But that the “free ride” does not include “tourist trips”, SBB said.

READ MORE: UPDATE: How Switzerland is supporting refugees from Ukraine

The National Council votes to abolish VAT on fuel

The lower chamber of the Swiss parliament created a (pleasant) surprise by accepting a proposal from MP Franz Grüter, who is asking that Value Added Tax (VAT) no longer apply to fuel taxes: the tax on mineral oils, the surcharge on mineral oils, and taxes on the import of gasoline. The motion was accepted by 105 votes to 84.

This decision comes as the price of gasoline has risen sharply since the start of the war in Ukraine. On Monday, the Federal Council replied that it was not going to act for the moment against this increase.

The proposal will now be debated by the Council of States.

READ MORE:Where in Switzerland can you find the cheapest fuel?

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The Swiss choose their hospital according to these criteria

There are more than 200 public and private acute-care hospitals in Switzerland, the  highest density in the world. This means the population has a wide choice in terms of medical care.

But what are their priorities when choosing a healthcare facility?

According to a survey carried out by Groupe Mutuel insurance company, the most important selection criterion relates to the medical expertise for the intervention  / treatment in question. This is listed as a priority by 68 percent of respondents.

The second criterion is the relationship and interaction between the doctor and patient. Next comes the quality of care and attentiveness of the health care staff.

Flexibility in visiting hours as well as overall patient satisfaction were also considered important when choosing a hospital.

 

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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