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VACCINE

Switzerland lines up fourth Covid-19 vaccine to help tackle pandemic

Health authorities in Switzerland are hoping that a new coronavirus vaccine will help boost Switzerland’s arsenal against Covid-19.

Published: 27 January 2021 09:37 CET
Switzerland lines up fourth Covid-19 vaccine to help tackle pandemic
The delivery of Pfizer vaccine is delayed. Photo by AFP

The Swiss government is reportedly negotiating a supply agreement for the vaccine with the American company Johnson & Johnson,  NZZ newspaper said. 

The company is expected to release results of a large clinical trial early next week.

Without specifically mentioning Johnson & Johnson, Nora Kroning from the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said last week that Switzerland continues “to be in negotiations, to see how we can boost volumes,” of the vaccine doses the country already has in stock.

If the deal goes through, Johnson & Johnson would be Switzerland’s fourth supplier of coronavirus vaccines, after Pfizer/BioNtech (3 million doses), Moderna (4.5 million) and AstraZeneca (5.3 million doses).

So far, only Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been approved for use in Switzerland and in the EU.

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is different in that only a single dose would be enough to build up immunity, while the other vaccines require two doses to be administered four weeks apart.

Another advantage of this new vaccine is that it doesn’t have to be stored for months in the refrigerator.

READ MORE: IN NUMBERS: What's the latest on Switzerland's vaccination programme? 

There’s no set date on when Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine might be available in Switzerland, but it would likely take a few months, as it would have to be first tested for efficacy and safety by the country’s drug regulator, Swissmedic.

Switzerland needs the fourth vaccine to fill the gap left by the slowdown in the delivery of Pfizer doses, which is causing delays in the inoculation programme.

“Planning has become a huge headache. We have to modify our vaccination plan several times a day”, Laurent Paoliello, spokesperson for Geneva’s Department of Health, told Tribune de Genève. 

“These uncertainties are so problematic because it is necessary to know the dates and the quantity of deliveries in order  to ensure that people vaccinated today will receive their second dose one month later”, he added.

Other cantons are facing the same delays and, consequently, long wait periods for patients to get their shots.

READ MORE: MAPS: Which Swiss cantons are vaccinating fastest against coronavirus? 

 

 

 

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COVID-19

What you need to know about the new Covid-19 wave in Switzerland

When the pandemic was winding down two years ago, health authorities warned that while the worst was over, Covid will keep re-emerging, in one form or another, in the future.

Published: 19 July 2024 11:45 CEST
What you need to know about the new Covid-19 wave in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the number of laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases has increased by around 50 percent over the last four weeks, according to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).  

Add to it the undeclared cases, and that figure is even higher.

“The number of positive tests is climbing, and further increases cannot be ruled out,” FOPH said.

Overall, however, the number of infections remains low.

Why is Covid still around in Switzerland?

As epidemiologists predicted, coronavirus will keep mutating, with different strains emerging over time.

Covid’s new variants, KP.2 and KP.3, are currently circulating throughout the country, causing the number of cases to go up.

That’s because the latest variants spread fast and are particularly resistant to antibodies — which means that whatever immunity you may have built up through previous infections or vaccinations are not sufficient to stop new infections.

What are the symptoms?

The most common ones are similar to those of seasonal flu — that is, cough, fever, headache, muscle pain, cold, sore throat, as well as tiredness.

But just as with the previous bouts, some people will experience milder symptoms, while others more severe ones.

For the time being, these variants have not caused serious developments in most people, and only a small number have required hospitalisation.

What should you do if symptoms appear?

If you do become infected, FOPH recommends avoiding contact with other people, especially those who are particularly at risk of complications.

Measures imposed by the government during earlier outbreaks, such as isolation and quarantine, are not necessary at this point — though health authorities say that, similarly to to previous bouts, you should wear a mask and keep your distance.

And if you are in a high-risk group, contact your doctor immediately.

Should you get (re)vaccinated?

Ask your doctor about that.

Compulsory basic insurance will pay for the vaccine for high-risk people, and possibly their carertakers, based on doctor’s recommendations.

Others must pay for the shot out of their pockets. A dose costs around 100 francs.

Should you cancel your vacation if you test positive?

It is up to you and your own sense of responsibility.

“It would be best to cancel the flight immediately,” said Christiane Meier, vice-president of the Association of Cantonal Doctors. If you decide to go anyway, “wear a mask and keep your distance,” she added.
 
Should we expect a further increase in the number of cases after the holidays?

According to FOPH, it is not yet possible to know for sure, though this possibility can’t be excluded.

Swiss health authorities are constantly monitoring the evolution, but are not making any predictions for the moment.

What they do say is that though new variants spread fast and resist immunity, “there is no reason to panic at this stage.”

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