SHARE
COPY LINK

HEALTH

Switzerland likely to tighten coronavirus measures to ‘save summer’: reports

Swiss health officials are set to push for a tightening of coronavirus measures at a meeting between federal and cantonal authorities on Friday, February 19th, Swiss media reports.

Switzerland likely to tighten coronavirus measures to 'save summer': reports
Photo: MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP

Despite falling case numbers, Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset is set to push for a stricter set of coronavirus measures – as well as an extension beyond February 28th – when federal authorities meet with their cantonal counterparts on Friday. 

The major reason is the prevalence of the coronavirus mutation in Switzerland, which Berset fears has the possibility to continue to surge in the coming months. 

Swiss authorities expect the coronavirus mutations to replace the known examples of coronavirus by March to become the dominant strains. 

A source told the NZZ newspaper that Berset is concerned that without urgent action, “there will be very high numbers of infections in May, June and July”. 

By adopting harsher measures now, Switzerland can expect fewer measures to carry through to the summer. 

At the very minimum, Switzerland is expected to extend the existing coronavirus measures beyond their current expiration date of February 28th. 

What is expected to be tightened?

Other than the continuation of the current measures, a range of tightenings are being considered to curb the spread of the mutation. 

Top cantonal doctor Rudolf Hauri, a leading voice in the lockdown efforts, has flagged a number of areas which could be tightened. 

“The situation remains difficult because the activity of the coronavirus mutations is increasing despite drastic measures,” Hauri told the Tages Anzeiger

Hauri pointed to the closure of schools and ski areas as a possible and realistic way the government could curb the spread of the mutation. 

Schools have been shuttered for months in neighbouring Germany, while ski fields in many European countries have not been allowed to open this winter. 

In addition, Hauri flagged the closure of shops other than grocery stores as a possible way of curbing infections. 

Stay at home orders, compulsory FFP2 masks, further contact restrictions, stricter working from home requirements and other measures are being considered. 

Neighbouring Austria put in place a 24-hour stay at home order in December which stayed in place until early February. 

“It comes down to the fact that further efforts are necessary,” Hauri said. 

Will anything be relaxed? 

Whether Berset will be able to get the measures approved by the Federal Council remains to be seen, given the resistance from other parties. 

The FDP's Marcel Dobler said given that infection rates were currently falling “tightening is unacceptable”. 

A government source told the NZZ that the announcement is expected to be accompanied by “a little bit of sugar”, i.e. symbolic relaxations that make the extensions and tightenings a little easier to take. 

Non-essential shops, cultural facilities along with sports will see gradual relaxations. 

Bars and restaurants would not be allowed to open until a second step in the relaxations – with smaller events being again possible in the third round of relaxations. 

A complete relaxation of measures is only expected when a majority of Swiss have been vaccinated. Switzerland wants to vaccinate 5.5 million people – or around 75 percent of the population – by June. 

Testing is expected to be expanded across the country as a way of isolating clusters. Several cantons including Aargau, Graubünden, Vaud, Zug and Basel Country have begun or announced some form of mass testing in recent days. 

 

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

HEALTH

Can you avoid high costs of medication in Switzerland by getting drugs abroad?

Most drugs, including generics, are quite a bit cheaper in other countries. But can you have your Swiss prescription filled abroad and bring the meds back?

Can you avoid high costs of medication in Switzerland by getting drugs abroad?

Not only are medicines more expensive in Switzerland than in many European countries, but their price continues to climb.

For original meds whose patents have expired, Swiss consumers now pay 14.3 percent more than patients abroad.

A year ago, the price difference was 10.8 percent, according to the health insurance association Santésuisse and the group for research-based pharmaceutical companies Interpharma . 

As has been the case for years, the price differences are particularly significant not only for brand drugs, but also for generics and biosimilars.

In a comparison with Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Sweden, the price of generics in Switzerland is 45.3 percent higher, while bio-similars cost nearly 30 percent more.

How is the price of drugs determined in Switzerland?

“The price of medicines covered by statutory basic medical insurance is not set on the open market but through complex state interventions,” according to Interpharma.

The prices of drugs that are reimbursed by the basic insurance are controlled by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).

In order to determine the price of a medicinal product, the FOPH first considers the cost of therapy with products authorised to treat the same disease.

It then compares the prices of the same products in other countries with a pharmaceutical industry that is economically comparable to that of Switzerland’s.

The final price of drugs reflects Switzerland’s high-cost economy in general: research and development are more expensive in Switzerland than elsewhere, and production costs are higher as well.

Increasing healthcare premiums are an important factor as well.

And prices are set to increase even further. 

FOPH is adapting a new model for calculating the distribution margin. 

A distribution margin is the difference between the distributor’s cost of acquiring goods and the price at which those goods are sold.

From July 1st, 2024, inexpensive medicines whose factory price is less than, or equal to, 15 francs will become more expensive.

This change will affect more than half of medications currently being sold in Switzerland.

As a result of this move, “additional costs of several hundred million will be passed on to patients,” according to Intergenrika, which represents generic drug manufacturers in Switzerland. 

How much cheaper are medicines in neighbour countries?

Swiss-German news platform 20 Minuten compared the prices of some common drugs in Switzerland and Germany. 

For instance, painkiller Ibuprofen (400 milligrams, 20 tablets), costs €3.45 in Germany and 5.90 francs in Switzerland — a surcharge of 71 percent. 

A box of pantoprazole (a popular drug used to treat gastric reflux) is 12.95 francs in Switzerland compared to around 2.62 euros in Germany – a markup of 394 percent.

Similar price disparities also exist between Swiss drugs and those sold in France and Italy.

Can you import medicines to Switzerland to save money?

According to Switzerland’s drug regulatory agency, Swissmedic, people “may import a month’s supply of medicines into Switzerland for their own use but not for third parties”.

This rule is for both residents and tourists.

This means that you are only allowed to bring medications you will use yourself, and not sell them to others.

What about prescription medications?

While doctor’s orders issued within the European Union are valid throughout the EU, Switzerland is not covered by the agreement on recognition of cross-border prescriptions.

Therefore, pharmacists in neighbour countries — or elsewhere within the EU, for that matter — are not obliged to accept prescriptions from Switzerland.

You will have better luck in the UK, however,

From January 1st, 2021, a prescription issued in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein Norway or Switzerland can be dispensed in the UK if the prescriber is from a medical profession recognised in Britain.

Keep in mind, however, that names of drugs may be different there, so your doctor should write out the prescription accordingly.

Yes, but will your Swiss health insurance pay for the medicines you purchased abroad?

According to FOPH, “the costs will only be reimbursed for medicines that you require because of illness during a temporary stay abroad.”
 
If, on the other hand, you bring in meds for use while in Switzerland, then you must pay for them out of your own pocket.

SHOW COMMENTS