Reader question: How does the actual vaccine process work in Switzerland?
There has been a lot of talk about the coronavirus vaccine rollout in Switzerland, but what happens when you show up for your appointment and are ready to roll up your sleeve? The Local Switzerland journalist Helena Bachmann, who has received her first injection, explains the process.
As each Swiss canton manages its own inoculation programme, the process may vary somewhat.
Overall, however, it is very similar from canton to canton. From registration to the jab itself, here's how it works.
First, you have to go online to register for an appointment on a special website set up by your canton’s public health office. You will see which centres have openings and when, and can choose the one that suits you best.
However, there may not be available appointments at the moment as many cantons are now waiting for deliveries of new vaccine doses.
One reason for the scarcity of openings is that centres must keep a sufficient number of vaccines in reserve for the second round of shots for people who already received their first dose.
The criteria for getting an appointment may include, at least at this initial stage of the programme when doses are in short supply, the requirement to present a medical certificate stating that you are in the high-risk category and must receive your shot as a priority.
Some cantons don’t require this document, relying on each individual’s sense of responsibility not to try to get an appointment if they’re not in the risk group, but rather to wait when the vaccination programme opens up to general public.
READ MORE: How can I get vaccinated for Covid-19 in Switzerland?
How does the vaccination process work in Switzerland?
I received my first shot on February 5th in Vaud.
A week before my appointment I got an email from the canton giving me the date and time for the second shot. It is on March 19th, six weeks after the first dose.
That’s because Vaud has decided to postpone the second dose of the vaccine to six weeks after the first shot, rather than maintaining the four-week timetable it had before.
This change is due to a delay in vaccine deliveries, as new batches are not expected to arrive before mid-March.
However, officials said the delay will not hamper the effectiveness or safety of the vaccine - in fact, they said the delay will improve the protection that the vaccine offers.
READ MORE: Swiss canton postpones second vaccine doses by six weeks
When I arrived for my 10:30 am appointment, I was asked to present my ID and health insurance card, and to disinfect my hands.
I was then taken to one of several cubicles.
The person who was about to vaccinate me asked if I had a fever or felt unwell. When I said no, he got the syringe ready, telling me it was a Moderna vaccine, one of the two currently available in Switzerland. The other is from Pfizer /BioNtech.
There was a little burn and a feeling of slight pressure when the needle was inserted, but it all took just a few seconds.
After the shot, I was taken to another room and asked to sit there for 15 minutes to make sure I didn’t have any adverse reactions. Several other people were sitting there already, with chairs spaced about 2 metres apart, everyone wearing a mask.
This is a standard procedure to ensure that in the rare event of extreme allergic reaction to the vaccine, which usually happens within minutes, help could be given immediately.
I felt fine, as did everyone else sitting there. After 15 minutes I was told I could leave. By the time I got home, I already received a vaccination certificate by email, confirming the date of the vaccine, the type, and the batch number. Once I get the second shot, that information will be added, and the document will serve as my vaccination record.
My overall impression is that the whole process was quick, well organised and professional. The only reaction I’ve had was a sore arm the first day. No other side effects whatsoever.
READ MORE: Why has Switzerland ordered over 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccine?
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As each Swiss canton manages its own inoculation programme, the process may vary somewhat.
Overall, however, it is very similar from canton to canton. From registration to the jab itself, here's how it works.
First, you have to go online to register for an appointment on a special website set up by your canton’s public health office. You will see which centres have openings and when, and can choose the one that suits you best.
However, there may not be available appointments at the moment as many cantons are now waiting for deliveries of new vaccine doses.
One reason for the scarcity of openings is that centres must keep a sufficient number of vaccines in reserve for the second round of shots for people who already received their first dose.
The criteria for getting an appointment may include, at least at this initial stage of the programme when doses are in short supply, the requirement to present a medical certificate stating that you are in the high-risk category and must receive your shot as a priority.
Some cantons don’t require this document, relying on each individual’s sense of responsibility not to try to get an appointment if they’re not in the risk group, but rather to wait when the vaccination programme opens up to general public.
READ MORE: How can I get vaccinated for Covid-19 in Switzerland?
How does the vaccination process work in Switzerland?
I received my first shot on February 5th in Vaud.
A week before my appointment I got an email from the canton giving me the date and time for the second shot. It is on March 19th, six weeks after the first dose.
That’s because Vaud has decided to postpone the second dose of the vaccine to six weeks after the first shot, rather than maintaining the four-week timetable it had before.
This change is due to a delay in vaccine deliveries, as new batches are not expected to arrive before mid-March.
However, officials said the delay will not hamper the effectiveness or safety of the vaccine - in fact, they said the delay will improve the protection that the vaccine offers.
READ MORE: Swiss canton postpones second vaccine doses by six weeks
When I arrived for my 10:30 am appointment, I was asked to present my ID and health insurance card, and to disinfect my hands.
I was then taken to one of several cubicles.
The person who was about to vaccinate me asked if I had a fever or felt unwell. When I said no, he got the syringe ready, telling me it was a Moderna vaccine, one of the two currently available in Switzerland. The other is from Pfizer /BioNtech.
There was a little burn and a feeling of slight pressure when the needle was inserted, but it all took just a few seconds.
After the shot, I was taken to another room and asked to sit there for 15 minutes to make sure I didn’t have any adverse reactions. Several other people were sitting there already, with chairs spaced about 2 metres apart, everyone wearing a mask.
This is a standard procedure to ensure that in the rare event of extreme allergic reaction to the vaccine, which usually happens within minutes, help could be given immediately.
I felt fine, as did everyone else sitting there. After 15 minutes I was told I could leave. By the time I got home, I already received a vaccination certificate by email, confirming the date of the vaccine, the type, and the batch number. Once I get the second shot, that information will be added, and the document will serve as my vaccination record.
My overall impression is that the whole process was quick, well organised and professional. The only reaction I’ve had was a sore arm the first day. No other side effects whatsoever.
READ MORE: Why has Switzerland ordered over 30 million doses of coronavirus vaccine?
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