Today in Switzerland: A round-up of the latest news on Friday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
New research: Omicron will not push Swiss hospitals to their limits
Even though it spreads quickly and continues to infect a record number of people, the Omicron variant is unlikely to overburden Switzerland’s healthcare system, a study by the Federal Laboratory for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) indicates.
These findings allow for a cautious optimism: if the infection reproduction rate in Switzerland remains below 2 (this value stands at 1.21 now), intensive care units will not be filled to capacity.
That’s because Omicron, though more transmissible, is less severe than Delta. This means that infected people, especially the vaccinated, are likely to recover by themselves without needing hospital care, Empa found.
READ MORE: 'Too early to celebrate’: How Omicron is still holding Switzerland in its grip
Rising healthcare costs in Switzerland will drive up premiums
Costs for basic health insurance policy rose by an average of 5.1 percent in 2021, according to the umbrella health insurance organisation Santésuisse.
Cost increases had been moderate over the past three years, but the sharp rise observed in 2021 “threatens the stability of premiums”, Santésuisse said.
The spike is the largest since 2013, and it does not even take into account the costs of Covid vaccinations, which reached 265 million francs.
This would lead to increases in insurance costs which, in turn, will be passed on to consumers.
La flambée des coûts dans l’assurance de base menace la stabilité des primes. https://t.co/4uqflynuW1 pic.twitter.com/1qe4tRrlXQ
— santésuisse (@santesuisse) January 27, 2022
Service on Léman Express is still disrupted
Numerous Covid-related staff absences are still disrupting the operation of the Léman Express train, commonly used by cross-border workers commuting from France to their jobs in the Geneva area.
Suspended since January 8th, lines L2 and L4 between Coppet (VD) and Annemasse (France) will ultimately remain out of service until February 15th.
In the meantime, RegioExpress trains are covering all the stops between Geneva and Annemasse, though other cancellations or timetable changes are not excluded, according to Swiss Federal Railways.
Basel: The most ‘abandoned’ city in Switzerland
Residents are moving away from Basel more frequently than from other Swiss cities, according to a new study from UBS bank.
But interestingly, while locals want to get out of Basel, more and more foreigners are drawn to the northern Swiss city, UBS said.
Among the reasons cited for the exodus are high rents and too few new construction projects in the city.
A similar phenomenon, though on a lesser scale, has been observed in Bern and Zurich, while suburban and rural areas of Graubünden, Vaud and St. Gallen recorded a “very strong increase in newcomers”, the study found.
If you are one of the people who moved, or are planning to move, away from city into the countryside, please take part in our reader survey.
READ MORE: REVEALED: Which Swiss cities offer the best quality of life?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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New research: Omicron will not push Swiss hospitals to their limits
Even though it spreads quickly and continues to infect a record number of people, the Omicron variant is unlikely to overburden Switzerland’s healthcare system, a study by the Federal Laboratory for Materials Testing and Research (Empa) indicates.
These findings allow for a cautious optimism: if the infection reproduction rate in Switzerland remains below 2 (this value stands at 1.21 now), intensive care units will not be filled to capacity.
That’s because Omicron, though more transmissible, is less severe than Delta. This means that infected people, especially the vaccinated, are likely to recover by themselves without needing hospital care, Empa found.
READ MORE: 'Too early to celebrate’: How Omicron is still holding Switzerland in its grip
Rising healthcare costs in Switzerland will drive up premiums
Costs for basic health insurance policy rose by an average of 5.1 percent in 2021, according to the umbrella health insurance organisation Santésuisse.
Cost increases had been moderate over the past three years, but the sharp rise observed in 2021 “threatens the stability of premiums”, Santésuisse said.
The spike is the largest since 2013, and it does not even take into account the costs of Covid vaccinations, which reached 265 million francs.
This would lead to increases in insurance costs which, in turn, will be passed on to consumers.
La flambée des coûts dans l’assurance de base menace la stabilité des primes. https://t.co/4uqflynuW1 pic.twitter.com/1qe4tRrlXQ
— santésuisse (@santesuisse) January 27, 2022
Service on Léman Express is still disrupted
Numerous Covid-related staff absences are still disrupting the operation of the Léman Express train, commonly used by cross-border workers commuting from France to their jobs in the Geneva area.
Suspended since January 8th, lines L2 and L4 between Coppet (VD) and Annemasse (France) will ultimately remain out of service until February 15th.
In the meantime, RegioExpress trains are covering all the stops between Geneva and Annemasse, though other cancellations or timetable changes are not excluded, according to Swiss Federal Railways.
Basel: The most ‘abandoned’ city in Switzerland
Residents are moving away from Basel more frequently than from other Swiss cities, according to a new study from UBS bank.
But interestingly, while locals want to get out of Basel, more and more foreigners are drawn to the northern Swiss city, UBS said.
Among the reasons cited for the exodus are high rents and too few new construction projects in the city.
A similar phenomenon, though on a lesser scale, has been observed in Bern and Zurich, while suburban and rural areas of Graubünden, Vaud and St. Gallen recorded a “very strong increase in newcomers”, the study found.
If you are one of the people who moved, or are planning to move, away from city into the countryside, please take part in our reader survey.
READ MORE: REVEALED: Which Swiss cities offer the best quality of life?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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