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GENEVA

Inside Switzerland’s two new, large-scale Covid-19 vaccination centres

The neighbouring Swiss cantons of Geneva and Vaud inaugurated their “vaccinodromes” on Monday, as a way to pick up the sluggish pace of inoculations.

Published: 20 April 2021 10:34 CEST
Updated: 20 April 2021 14:05 CEST
Inside Switzerland's two new, large-scale Covid-19 vaccination centres
Health workers in a vaccination centre in Lausanne. Photo: VALENTIN FLAURAUD / AFP

Similar to the already existing mega centres in Zurich and Basel, the two new venues have the capacity to immunise several thousand people each day.

Outside a vaccination centre in Vaud. Image: AFP

Geneva

Located in Hall 3 of the Palexpo exhibition centre, this 2000-square-metre space has 157 booths where vaccines can be administered simultaneously.

The canton is expecting to give up to 4,000 shots each day — about half of the total number of Covid inoculations Geneva is expecting to administer daily.

To speed up access to vaccinations, appointments are allocated wherever in the canton space is available, which may not necessarily be the Palexpo centre, authorities said.

Palexpo vaccinodrome. Photo by République et canton de Genève

Registration for the vaccine and appointments can be made here.

EXPLAINED: How Switzerland is speeding up its vaccination programme

Vaud

The new venue, located at the Beaulieu conference centre in Lausanne, will administer up to 16,000  vaccines each day, the canton said.

“The opening of the Beaulieu centre is a very important step in the fight against the coronavirus, and a sign that the vaccine doses are finally available”, said Rebecca Ruiz, head of Vaud’s Public Health Office. 

Registrations and appointments for Beaulieu or any of the other vaccination centres in Vaud can be made on this site.

Member comments

  1. Hmm. Good progress but keep the masks on. Luke<14 forsake everything, everyone, and yourself for Him
    Luke<12, Matthew 6 Sell everything and give all away to poors, but keep your giving in secret
    Luke<16 work for Him, never for $€£, then He will give you food and clothes
    Matthew<28 share the Truth of J to everyone
    John<17 work together in peace and love
    Do not take the Mark of the Beast right hand or forehead, to be the only way to buy or sell (not a covid mask \ a vaccine, rather could be a quantum implant \ tattoo) Revelation 13 and 14
    US fits the description of the Babylon, to be destroyed with fire in one hour Revelation 17 and 18 J loves us all

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For members

GENEVA

Can Geneva still claim to be the ‘capital of peace’?

The Swiss city has traditionally been a space for diplomacy and international relations. But does Geneva still merit this title?

Published: 8 May 2024 12:06 CEST
Updated: 12 May 2024 08:26 CEST
Can Geneva still claim to be the 'capital of peace'?

Geneva has been the scene of numerous negotiations and agreements since the end of World War Two.

According to the United Nations, the city’s “humanitarian tradition, strategic location in a neutral country, and political stability make it an obvious choice to host a variety of diplomatic meetings”.

These are just some of the top-level meetings held in Geneva in the past decades, which have earned it the nickname of the “capital of peace”:

1985: After a long stretch of Cold War, former US President Ronald Reagan met and (shook hands) with USSR leader Mikhaïl Gorbachev 

1994: The then US president Bill Clinton met former president of Syria, Hafez al-Assad
 
2009: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks with Russian minister of foreign affairs, Sergei Lavrov
 
2013: Iranian nuclear negotiations
 
2021: Summit between US president Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putinshakes hands with US President Joe Biden prior to their meeting in Geneva. Photo: Denis Balibouse/AFP

You can see all the other major meetings in Geneva here. 

However, since Biden met Putin in May 2021, no major meetings have been held in Geneva – either regularly or consistently.

Why is that?

Russia’s interference
 
Blame it on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

After that event in February 2022, Switzerland’s image took a beating in Putin’s eyes.

That’s because the country froze the assets of Russian oligarchs held in Swiss banks, closed its airspace to Russian airlines, and generally followed all of EU sanctions against Kremlin.

Because of these actions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Switzerland as an “openly hostile country”.

As for the Russia’ ambassador to Bern, Sergey Garmonin, he said that Switzerland “has lost its credibility as an impartial international platform and cannot be regarded a mediator in addressing the crisis in Ukraine”, according to Russia’ official news agency, TASS.

In fact, due to Switzerland’s stance on Russia, Putin “reciprocated” by pressuring his ally, Syria, to suspend its peace talks that have been held in Geneva since 2016.

Is Switzerland’s role as the hub of international diplomacy really doomed?

Not quite yet.

On June 15th and 16th, the country will host a high-level peace conference for Ukraine at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne.

High-level officials from dozens of countries will attend, though Russia already said it would not participate in the summit.

READ ALSO: Switzerland to host Ukraine peace conference without Russian involvement 

What about Geneva – will it be able to maintain its diplomatic role?

Russia’s interference has undoubtedly inflicted some damage, as evidenced by its stance on Switzerland in general, and its pressure toward Syrian peace talks in particular.

However, given that Geneva has been “at it” for many decades, and successfully so, it is too early to count it out as the world’s “peace capital”.

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