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HEALTH

Switzerland backtracks on advice not to holiday abroad until 2021

Swiss authorities have said residents will be permitted to go on holidays in 2020, seemingly walking back a statement made just days earlier.

Switzerland backtracks on advice not to holiday abroad until 2021
Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Karin Keller-Sutter, Head of the Swiss Justice Department, said that the government would not stop residents of Switzerland from leaving in the summer and would not prevent them returning. 

She did however indicate that anyone intending to do so may encounter difficulties getting out of Switzerland, as many neighbouring countries are set to keep their borders closed for the foreseeable future. 

READ: Bars, restaurants and gyms in Switzerland to open sooner than expected so country 'can live with the virus'

Not an ‘official recommendation’

Keller-Sutter’s statement came just days after Erik Jakob, head of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said trips would need to be postponed until 2021. 

“On a personal recommendation, I would postpone trips abroad until next year”, Jakob said on Monday

On Wednesday, Jakob apologised for his comments, saying that while he personally planned not to take any holidays, his statement was not an “official recommendation”. 

“My statements were in no way intended as an official recommendation to postpone all holiday trips abroad from 2020 to 2021.”

Swiss can leave and return – but should check with destination countries

Keller-Sutter said that while Swiss were permitted to leave the country, they needed to be cautious about the situation in any destination countries – even those which shared a border with Switzerland. 

“Many are already thinking about summer vacation. Swiss people can leave Switzerland as they wish and then enter again. The question is whether they are allowed to enter the other country,” she said. 

“The question of when (the current situation) will change cannot be answered clearly at the moment. In dialogue with our neighbouring countries, I found that everyone is very careful.

“(At the moment) Nobody wants to encourage mobility unnecessarily.”

As it stands, all Swiss citizens as well as residence permit holders and cross-border permit holders were allowed to enter Switzerland – but tourists and other visitors were restricted. 

Keller-Sutter said that while she could see this being relaxed sometime in the coming weeks, she doubted Switzerland would be open to international tourists this summer. 

“At the moment we have no interest in mobility being increased unilaterally at the border. We have to discuss this with our neighbouring countries,” she said. 

“The fact that foreigners can simply come to Switzerland will certainly not work.”

Swiss holidays preferred

Keller-Sutter said that for holiday makers unsure of where to go this summer, vacations in Switzerland should be preferred. 

“The good thing is: Holidays in Switzerland are possible at any time. We would like to call on the population to spend their holidays in Switzerland. 

“This also helps us to stimulate the economy again.”

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HEALTH

The essential Swiss websites you need to use for health matters

If you just moved to Switzerland (or even if you have lived here for a while), your learning curve about health-related matters in the country may be steep. These sites will help you find the information you need.

The essential Swiss websites you need to use for health matters

Staying healthy is probably one of your top priorities, but doing so in a foreign country is not easy.

That is why having some reliable resources that you can check out and follow will be helpful.

First: The Local

No, we are not doctors, but we have published a number of factual articles over the years about many aspects of healthcare in Switzerland that our readers find helpful.

You can find a compilation of these health-related stories here

Federal Office of Public Health 

Obviously, when it comes to matters of health, the Health Ministry has lots of information that will be relevant to you at one time or another.

Aside from matters of health policy (which is important for all residents of Switzerland), the site also has a regularly updated Infectious Diseases Dashboard to let you know what communicable illnesses are currently circulating in Switzerland — and how to avoid them.

It also provides age-specific health information and recommendations — for instance, for children and teenagers, as well as for the elderly.

Hospital websites

Individual hospitals in your area are good sources of information as well, and many of them are in English.

You can find there general health information, care and treatment options, online emergency room signup, new medical technologies being used, and other patient resources:

Geneva University Hospitals (HUG)

Vaud University Hospital (CHUV)

Zurich University Hospital

Basel University Hospital 

If you live in an area without a university medical centre, your local hospital is also a valuable source of health-related information.

Appointment booking platform

This website is especially useful for people who don’t yet have a doctor in Switzerland but need to set an appointment with one. 

It gives you an option of choosing a specialty and location, and then displays doctor’s names and addresses, background information about them, and which time slots they have available.

You can easily set up an appointment this way.

Your health insurer’s website

This may not be an intuitive choice for impartial information about healthcare but you may be surprised.

For instance, Sanitas insurance site has information about emergency care decisions, and how to void unnecessary medical treatments.

CSS has health information geared specifically to men and women.

Helsana talks about ways to combat stress and sleep problems.

These are just a few examples on what valuable tips you can find on your insurer’s website.

Websites devoted to specific medical conditions

If you seek information about a specific illness — such as treatment options in Switzerland — there are plenty of online resources for that as well.

For instance:

Heart and cardiovascular 

Diabetes 

Osteoporosis 

Mental illness 

General pain 

Other diseases 

Last but not least, while not related to health, these websites will also provide useful information for international residents:

The Swiss websites that can help you save money
 
The most useful website resources to help you get Swiss citizenship 
 
 

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