Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Skiing will be possible in Switzerland after all; why Migros may have to reduce its opening hours; and other news in our Monday roundup.
Weather report: Snow is on the way, at last
After weeks of record-breaking warm temperatures which have rendered skiing at mid and low altitudes practically impossible, Swiss meteorologists are forecasting fresh snow in the coming days.
On Sunday, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSuisse has forecasted a lowering of the snowfall limit to 700 metres over the next two days.
In Valais and Graubünden, where many ski resorts are located, between 10 and 40 cm of fresh snow could fall above 1,200 metres, and 40 to 70 cm from 1,600 metres.
Après une longue absence, la #neige fait son retour en moyenne montagne. Le #blogmeteosuisse du jour s'intéresse aux cumuls de neige fraîche à atttendre jusqu'à mardi et à l'évolution pour le reste de la semaine : https://t.co/bQgQrDVH4q #météo pic.twitter.com/DnxPQC1eW1
— MétéoSuisse (@meteosuisse) January 8, 2023
READ MORE: Record-breaking winter temperatures warm Europe
'Radical measures': Migros may have to reduce opening hours
As reported last week, while there are thousands of sales job vacancies throughout the country, finding employees for the retail sector has become increasingly difficult..
This is also the case of Switzerland’s largest private employer (and largest retail chain), Migros, which struggles to recruit about 1,800 employees for its outlets around the country.
As a result, Migros is considering “radical measures,” including shorter operating hours and limited number of open counters in supermarkets, according to Reto Parolini, the retailer’s head of personnel.
Tens of thousands of people don’t have their health insurance cards
The sharp increase in the cost of premiums for compulsory health insurance has prompted many people to change their carriers in 2023. As a result of this massive switch, new insurance cards have not yet been issued and sent out to policy holders.
The cards for all insurance carriers are issued by a subsidiary of the Santésuisse health insurance association, whose spokesperson, Manuel Ackermann, said that the delay is caused by the “extraordinarily large number” — three times as many as in an average year — of switches.
While not having an insurance card is a minor inconvenience in Switzerland, it can be more of a problem when travelling in the EU, where absence of the card could mean that hospitals in those countries may require Swiss residents to pay for medical care on the spot.
Carrying an insurance certificate in lieu of a card may be accepted in some foreign hospitals, but not necessarily everywhere.
READ MORE: Millions of Swiss residents switch health insurance amid rising costs
Swiss telecoms are ceasing MMS services
If you still use older technology on your mobile phone, know that the days of MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) in Switzerland are coming to an end.
After Swisscom, which started to phase out this service a year ago, a second operator, Salt, is following suit.
The reason is that the 20-year-old technology which was used to transmit images and videos has become obsolete with the introduction of new apps like WhatsApp.
As for Switzerland’s third telecom, Sunrise, it said it has not yet decided whether to phase out MMS technology. as well
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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Weather report: Snow is on the way, at last
After weeks of record-breaking warm temperatures which have rendered skiing at mid and low altitudes practically impossible, Swiss meteorologists are forecasting fresh snow in the coming days.
On Sunday, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSuisse has forecasted a lowering of the snowfall limit to 700 metres over the next two days.
In Valais and Graubünden, where many ski resorts are located, between 10 and 40 cm of fresh snow could fall above 1,200 metres, and 40 to 70 cm from 1,600 metres.
Après une longue absence, la #neige fait son retour en moyenne montagne. Le #blogmeteosuisse du jour s'intéresse aux cumuls de neige fraîche à atttendre jusqu'à mardi et à l'évolution pour le reste de la semaine : https://t.co/bQgQrDVH4q #météo pic.twitter.com/DnxPQC1eW1
— MétéoSuisse (@meteosuisse) January 8, 2023
READ MORE: Record-breaking winter temperatures warm Europe
'Radical measures': Migros may have to reduce opening hours
As reported last week, while there are thousands of sales job vacancies throughout the country, finding employees for the retail sector has become increasingly difficult..
This is also the case of Switzerland’s largest private employer (and largest retail chain), Migros, which struggles to recruit about 1,800 employees for its outlets around the country.
As a result, Migros is considering “radical measures,” including shorter operating hours and limited number of open counters in supermarkets, according to Reto Parolini, the retailer’s head of personnel.
Tens of thousands of people don’t have their health insurance cards
The sharp increase in the cost of premiums for compulsory health insurance has prompted many people to change their carriers in 2023. As a result of this massive switch, new insurance cards have not yet been issued and sent out to policy holders.
The cards for all insurance carriers are issued by a subsidiary of the Santésuisse health insurance association, whose spokesperson, Manuel Ackermann, said that the delay is caused by the “extraordinarily large number” — three times as many as in an average year — of switches.
While not having an insurance card is a minor inconvenience in Switzerland, it can be more of a problem when travelling in the EU, where absence of the card could mean that hospitals in those countries may require Swiss residents to pay for medical care on the spot.
Carrying an insurance certificate in lieu of a card may be accepted in some foreign hospitals, but not necessarily everywhere.
READ MORE: Millions of Swiss residents switch health insurance amid rising costs
Swiss telecoms are ceasing MMS services
If you still use older technology on your mobile phone, know that the days of MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) in Switzerland are coming to an end.
After Swisscom, which started to phase out this service a year ago, a second operator, Salt, is following suit.
The reason is that the 20-year-old technology which was used to transmit images and videos has become obsolete with the introduction of new apps like WhatsApp.
As for Switzerland’s third telecom, Sunrise, it said it has not yet decided whether to phase out MMS technology. as well
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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