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HEALTH

Coronavirus: The nightly message of hope lighting up Switzerland’s Matterhorn

As the world reels from the coronavirus crisis, a beam of light is illuminating Switzerland's Matterhorn mountain with a message of hope for a time of darkness.

Published: 2 April 2020 18:38 CEST
Coronavirus: The nightly message of hope lighting up Switzerland's Matterhorn
Photo: VALENTIN FLAURAUD / AFP

Every night from sunset, the 4,478-metre (14,692-foot) high national symbol is splashed with words and images to inspire solidarity as people face up to the alarming spread of the deadly pandemic.

The light projections, nearly 800 metres high, have been beamed for more than a week from four kilometres away onto the north and east faces of the mountain, which straddles Switzerland's southeastern border with Italy.

“We started with a Swiss flag, because it speaks to the mountain and our nation,” said light artist Gerry Hofstetter, known for transforming buildings around the world with his displays. 

The words “hope”, “solidarity” and “stay home” have since been projected onto the peak, along with a giant red heart on a white background — in the Swiss national colours.

The flags of Switzerland, Italy and the Swiss region of Ticino were also beamed onto the mountain on Wednesday night.

 

 

The southern Ticino canton, which borders stricken northern Italy, has been the hardest-hit in Switzerland.

The flags of other badly-affected nations will be projected onto the mountain in the coming days and weeks. The projections can be seen on live high-definition webcams. 

'Light is hope' 

Dominating the skyline, Hofstetter said the Matterhorn stands out like a lighthouse, which triggered the idea of beaming out messages. “Light is hope. So if you do a message with light in such a situation as we are in now, you give that hope — especially with this iconic, standalone, pyramid-shaped, incredibly strong mountain,” he said.

“The Matterhorn was here before mankind was.

“You can go back in history, two, three or four thousand years; when they had disease, it was art that brought people together for hope and looking for a brighter future once again. Only art can do this.”

 

 

The Matterhorn overlooks the ski resort of Zermatt deep down in the valley below. The normally-bustling town is devoid of tourists, hotels and holiday homes largely empty.

The starry night is eerily quiet. Switzerland, which has registered more than 18,000 cases and 430 deaths from COVID-19, has shut schools, bars, restaurants and non-food shops in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

Around the world, nearly a million people are known to have been infected, while nearly 50,000 lives have been lost in the pandemic.

“We want to show solidarity,” said Daniel Luggen, director of the Zermatt tourist office.

“We are fortunate here to live in a very beautiful area and we also want to share it with the world, to give people courage to help them to overcome this difficult period,” he told AFP. 

 

 

'Honest' toil

Hofstetter, 58, refuses to reveal where he is projecting from, but says he and an assistant are hunkered down at a camp high in the mountains above Zermatt, having set out with enough food to last for a month.

Speaking to AFP by telephone, he said the messages would be meaningless if he was not making sacrifices of his own to project them.

Every other day, he walks three hours through the snow to haul up 45 litres of water for drinking, washing and cleaning, with temperatures at times plunging to minus 22 degrees Celsius (minus eight Fahrenheit).

“We are really making an effort,” he said, “through living here and trying to survive — this message is honest.”

The light projections are due to last until April 19, when Switzerland's emergency measures are set to expire. However, if they are extended, there is no going home for Hofstetter.

“Imagine we give out such a strong sign of hope, and it's prolonged, and on the 19th we switch off. That will give a sign that even the Matterhorn doesn't believe in hope anymore,” he said.

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HEALTH

How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

Between insurance premiums and over-priced drugs and other costs, healthcare in Switzerland comes at a steep price. Clare O'Dea looks at why the costs are so high and some of the ways you can save money.

Published: 18 December 2023 10:40 CET
How you can save money on healthcare in Switzerland

On the surface, the Swiss healthcare provision model looks egalitarian. All residents are obliged by law to purchase the same basic package of insurance, and the premiums are subsidised for those on low incomes. So why is cost such a bone of contention?

The problem is that the healthcare itself is very expensive, the second most expensive system in the world after the United States. And most of the cost is shouldered by households one way or another. This hurts those on low to middle incomes the most.

Between health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses and over-priced drugs, households are spending a significant chunk of their income on health. Amazingly, Swiss residents fund 59 per cent of the national expenditure on health, according to the Federal Office for Public Health figures for 2020. The rest comes from state coffers, and, to a small extent, from employers.

To bring it down to an individual level, Swiss residents shell out 478 francs per person per month on health costs. Compulsory health insurance premiums account for 252 francs of that total on average. The rest goes on supplementary (top-up) health insurance premiums (42 francs), co-payment on policies plus out-of-pocket expenses (174 francs) and ‘other funding’ (10).

Politicians across the spectrum seem to be incapable of doing anything to curb health inflation. The latest is that health insurance premiums are set to increase by 8.7 per cent in 2024. That’s not a projection but a fact, as announced by the health minister in September.

KEY POINTS: What you need to know about Switzerland’s health insurance price hikes

Public purse

The worst thing would be to miss out on your entitlements. To find out if you qualify for premium subsidies, you’ll have to go through your home canton. Each canton has its own reduction rates and rules on eligibility. In some, there are systems in place to identify and notify eligible people but in others, you have to check and apply yourself.

This possibility is definitely worth looking into if you think you might be eligible – around a quarter of the population qualify for these payments. In some cantons, the proportion of recipients is higher. Moneyland.ch has put together a list of the contact information for premium reductions in each canton.

Take the initiative

Generally speaking, to save money on healthcare costs, the insured have to take the initiative themselves. New arrivals to Switzerland are required to take out a policy within three months, and should definitely shop around. Pricing comparison websites such as moneyland.ch , comparis.ch and Priminfo (in the national languages only) help to cut through the noise and find the best deal for your individual circumstances.

Age and location are important criteria. There are infinite tiny pricing variations between the 40+ non-profit insurers (known as “Krankenkasse”, “caisse maladie” or “cassa malati”), which means you may even find a better deal by buying policies from different insurers for different members of the family.

For those who already have a policy, it makes sense to do an annual price check up when the following year’s rates are announced in the autumn. Chopping and changing, which everyone has a right to do once a year, can really pay off.

The window for changing providers has just closed but you can be ready to notify your current provider by November 30th next year. Handily, the comparison websites also provide template letters for cancelling a policy.

READ ALSO: Which Swiss health insurance providers have the lowest rates in 2024?

Different models

Even if you decide to stay with the same insurer, you can obviously change the type of policy to a cheaper version. The so-called standard model is the most expensive. Under this arrangement, you decide which doctor you’d like to see, including specialists, and make appointments when you feel the need. 

There are other cheaper managed care models which are designed to cut down on unnecessary visits to the doctor. With these, you have to have a telemedicine consultation or visit a pharmacy before you get the green light to make an appointment with a doctor. There is another model where you have to see your general practitioner to get a referral to a specialist.

Calculations

The best way to save overall is to get clever with your deductible. That’s the share of medical expenses that you have to pay from your own pocket in the space of the year before your insurer starts reimbursing. The lower the deductible, the higher the premium.

Making the right choice involves a certain risk. But it is at least possible to make an educated guess based on past experience. There are several bands between 300 and 2,500 francs per year for deductibles (the amounts are lower for children).

If you tend not to need medical care and think your health costs are likely to be low in the coming year, it would make sense to go for the maximum deductible, which can translate into a saving up around 40 per cent on premiums. If you have reason to believe your bills will add up to 2,000 francs or more, then you’re better off going for the minimum deductible.

Don’t double up

That’s all speaking about the mandatory insurance package, which includes illness, accident and maternity care. But make sure you really need that accident insurance. Anyone who is employed for more than 8 hours per week is covered by their employer’s accident insurance, in which case it should be removed from their personal policy.

If you are looking to save money on health insurance, chances are you won’t be looking for additional insurance, also known as supplementary insurance. These policies give you more freedom over choice of hospital, and also cover therapies and treatments that are not included in the basic mandatory package. You can have both policies from the same provider or mix and match.

Though it can be irritating to hear this, especially if you already have a health condition, there is one final way that you can save on health costs – don’t get sick. What this advice really means is to lead a healthy lifestyle by taking exercise, eating a balanced diet, not consuming too much alcohol and cutting out smoking. Those are things we have control over, unlike genetics and luck.

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