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HEALTH

UPDATED: Where can you travel to from Switzerland – and when?

With coronavirus border restrictions gradually being loosened, Swiss residents are thinking again about their summer vacations. Where can we go - and when?

UPDATED: Where can you travel to from Switzerland - and when?
A Swiss plane takes off over Geneva. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

For the first time in the lifetimes of many people living in Switzerland, borders have been shuttered. 

While this has separated families and made work difficult for tens of thousands, it's also put people's summer holidays on ice. 

The Local Switzerland has assessed the current border policies of dozens of European countries to break down where Swiss residents can make a getaway this summer – and when. 

READ: Struggling Swiss airlines offer ‘return flight guarantee' 

The following map breaks down each country, with the list of countries – and the border opening dates – given below. 

Note: Border policies are subject to change and remain at the discretion of the responsible country.

Always check with the responsible country if you will be able to enter with the passport(s) you hold. 

The following information is correct at date of publication, but please get in touch with [email protected] if you have had a different experience. 

The information only applies to tourist travel – entry will be possible for other reasons and with appropriate documentation, like for family reunification or for work. 

Where to this summer?

Some countries have already opened their borders, while others will be doing so in the coming weeks. 

READ: These are the airlines restarting flights to and from Switzerland

Countries in orange have already opened their borders completely, while those in beige are open pursuant to some form of quarantine.* 

Those in light blue will open in May or June (dates included below), while those in dark blue have so far not indicated when they will allow entry from Swiss visitors. 

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Where can I travel – and when?

Border open

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, 

Border open with quarantine

Ireland, Romania, United Kingdom

Border open with negative coronavirus test

Belarus, Iceland

Border to open on set date

Finland (July 14), Norway (August 20)

Unknown

Denmark

 

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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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