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VACCINE

Reader question: Why can’t I choose which Covid vaccine I get in Switzerland?

Swiss vaccination centres don’t give you a choice of the vaccine that is injected into your arm, unlike some other countries. There are reasons why this is the case.

Published: 14 April 2021 12:35 CEST
Reader question: Why can't I choose which Covid vaccine I get in Switzerland?
You have no choice in what goes into your arm. Photo by Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / POOL / AFP

Some countries allow people to choose which vaccine they will receive. However, in Switzerland that is not the case. 

Which vaccines are available in Switzerland?

The only two vaccines that have been administered in Switzerland since the beginning of the programme in late December 2020, are the ones manufactured by Pfizer / Biontech and Moderna.

If you walk into a vaccination centre anywhere in Switzerland and ask for a Sputnik V vaccine, you can be sure you will not be getting it.

Reader question: Can you choose which Covid-19 vaccine to take in Switzerland?

That’s because Swiss authorities have not purchased any doses of this vaccine from Russia.

The same applies to AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson jabs, as they are not available in Switzerland either for various reasons. 

So why can’t you decide which of the two you get?

The reason has to do with supply and logistics.

The federal government distributes doses to cantons based on the delivery of the vaccines from the manufacturer and the number of doses received.

EXPLAINED: How to register for the coronavirus vaccine in your Swiss canton

“It is the availability of the vaccine that will be decisive”, said Virginie Masserey, head of infection control unit at the Federal Office of Public Health.

To date, Switzerland has purchased 13.5 million doses from Moderna and 6 million doses from Pfizer. This means the likelihood of getting a Moderna vaccine is statistically higher, but if your centre received Pfizer doses, then that’s what you’ll get.

AFP

The government also ordered 6 million doses of the Novavax vaccine and 5 million of Curevac. These two have not been delivered yet, but when they do become available, it is unlikely you will get to choose, for the same logistical reasons.

Not having a choice in the matter doesn’t pertain specifically to Covid vaccines. When you get a flu shot, you typically don’t have that option either — you get whatever your doctor or clinic have at their disposal.

Keep in mind that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are not dramatically different. In fact, they are very similar in the kind of technology they use (the so-called RNA), their efficacy (over 90 percent for both), safety, and possible side effects.

READ MORE: What are the most common side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine in Switzerland?

So while we are accustomed to having a choice and expressing our preferences in many matters, this option is not offered for vaccines.

AFP

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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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