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HEALTH

Switzerland to impose ten-day quarantine on ‘high risk’ arrivals from on Monday

The Swiss government will impose a ten-day quarantine on arrivals from 'high-risk' countries from Monday, July 6th.

Switzerland to impose ten-day quarantine on 'high risk' arrivals from on Monday
(From L) Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin, Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga and Swiss Interior Minister Alain Berset attend a press conference on the

The quarantine requirement will be imposed due to increases in new infections. 

“Since mid-June, the new coronavirus has experienced an upsurge in Switzerland after infected people entered the country from Schengen and non-Schengen states” beyond Europe's open borders zone, said the government.

“Consequently, from July 6, anyone crossing the border from certain regions must quarantine themselves for 10 days,” the Federal Council said.

The list of countries will be published on Thursday. The Swiss government promised to regularly monitor the situation in other countries while updating the list frequently. 

BREAKING: Masks to be compulsory in Swiss public transport from Monday

While the names of the countries have not yet been provided, Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga indicated that Serbia and Kosovo would be included. 

Health Minister Alain Berset implied on Wednesday that Sweden may also be included. 

Swiss media reported on Wednesday that a number of new infections had been imported among a group of men who arrived from Serbia

Affected people will be informed on planes, coaches and at the borders, and must register with the local authorities once in Switzerland.

Switzerland stopped short of imposing strict confinement when it introduced measures in mid-March aimed at stopping the spread of the new coronavirus.

It began gradually easing its restrictions on April 27th, with a fourth stage on June 22nd lifting the maximum limit on gatherings to 1,000.

Tracing app

Switzerland has its own SwissCovid contract-tracing smartphone app, using Bluetooth wireless technology.

It has been downloaded nearly a million times, with 928,909 signing up in the first six days since it came out.

Q&A: How will Switzerland's coronavirus tracing app work?

While the EU will lift entry restrictions from July 15 on travellers from 15 countries deemed to have the virus under control (including Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada), Switzerland will do likewise on July 20 — with the exception of Serbia.

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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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