Switzerland ‘too slow’ with second Covid booster

While other countries have already started to administer second booster shots, Swiss health authorities are dragging their feet, not having even issued a recommendation for the fourth dose yet.

This lassitude is sparking concern that the country will be unprepared when new Covid variants emerge in Switzerland, as they already have in other parts of the world.

“Switzerland was lagging behind last fall when it came to administering the booster, because we were ill-prepared. This must not happen again”, according to MP Ruth Humbel, a member of the National’s Social Security and Public Health Committee.

As for Andreas Faller, a lawyer specialising in health law, the government must learn from mistakes made during previous waves, when it often acted too slowly in enforcing various measures.

“I have the impression that for the Federal Office of Public Health the pandemic has subsided, and we are not preparing for a possible new wave in the fall”, he noted.

READ MORE: UPDATED: Is Switzerland gearing up for a fourth Covid jab?

Status S for Ukrainians: Is it racism?

While Ukrainian refugees are granted a special S status giving them rights to employment, free healthcare and other perks, the same benefits are not extended to refugees from other nations.

A group of them met in Bern on Monday and expressed their disappointment at not receiving the same advantages as their Ukrainian counterparts.

“We do not understand why Switzerland does not treat all persons in need of protection and victims of war in the same way”, they said, pointing out that the S status should also be applied to asylum seekers from other war-torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan.

OPINION: Criticism of Swiss refugee response lacks perspective

“This unequal treatment leaves us perplexed, sad and raises questions. If it is not discriminatory or racist, how can we qualify it?”, the group noted.

Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has already commented on these remarks when they were raised previously, responding that Ukrainians present an exceptional case, as they are — unlike some other asylum seekers —  mostly women and young children, which means they are likely to return to their partners when the conflict is over. 

Swiss patients pay too much for medical care

Some doctors and hospitals in Switzerland overcharge their patients by either invoicing services that have not been provided or billing more than is necessary.

This practice is a problem particularly as health insurance premiums are expected to increase significantly in 2023 to reflect rising health care costs.

READ MORE: Why Swiss health premiums are set to rise — and what you can do about it

Matthias Müller, spokesperson for health insurance umbrella organisation Santésuisse, confirmed that certain doctors charge too much.

“We see this problem particularly in the outpatient care, where doctors can choose from numerous tariff positions”.

However, proving excessive charges is difficult, according to Felix Schneuwly, a health industry expert at Comparis price comparison service.

That’s because “patients do not sign a ‘work report’ for the medical services rendered”, so health insurance companies cannot check whether a service was provided at all and whether it was indeed necessary, Schneuwly said, explaining that an insurance company can only verify whether the quantities and costs of the services on the invoices comply with the law.

How much would you pay for Alain Berset’s tie?

The light blue tie that the Health Minister wore on March 16th, 2020, when the Federal Council declared a state of emergency is being auctioned for a good cause: to raise money for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

So far it’s making a killing: the highest bid so is…35,000 francs!

Ever the salesman, Berset described the tie as a “banal accessory for a situation that was not”.

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