Will vaccination campaign convince hesitant Swiss?

by
Swissinfo
My articles My booksMy videos
Follow on:TwitterFacebookGoogle +

Just 16% of Swiss would immediately get vaccinated against coronavirus, according to a recent survey Keystone

Faced with considerable public scepticism towards a Covid-19 vaccine, the Federal Office of Public Health is preparing an information campaign about vaccinations. However, the country’s top hospital hygienist thinks offering incentives is a better way to make people get a jab.

Just 16% of Swiss would immediately get vaccinated against coronavirus, according to a survey by the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation on November 6. “No way,” said 28% of the 40,000 respondents. In the middle are many people who aren’t sure or who prefer to wait and see if any side-effects appear.

Given these levels of uncertainty, the government is working on a campaign to prepare the public for a vaccination, the SonntagsZeitung reported.

“We want to provide the population with transparent information and raise awareness of a vaccination against the novel coronavirus,” health office spokeswoman Katrin Holenstein told the paper.

However, as no details about the characteristics and effectiveness of the vaccine have yet been released, it was too early for the campaign, she said.

Incentives vs obligation

Andreas Widmer, president of Swissnoso, the association of experts for infectious diseases and hospital hygiene, doesn’t think information campaigns are enough. He suggests introducing incentives to increase the willingness to vaccinate.

“Only people who have been vaccinated or have a current negative test before each trip should be allowed to travel abroad by plane, coach or cruise,” Widmer told the SonntagsZeitung. “Vaccination is an expression of solidarity with society, and for this you need an individual and small sacrifice.”

The Epidemics Act in fact allows the government, in consultation with the cantons, to impose an obligation to vaccinate vulnerable population groups, as well as people who carry out certain activities, such as hospital or care staff.

Although Health Minister Alain Berset last week ruled out a nationwide compulsory vaccination, it is not off the table for certain groups such as nursing staff in old people’s homes. However, because it is not yet clear which vaccine will be used and whether it will lead to immunisation in older people, the health office says the introduction of a compulsory vaccination for nursing staff is not yet an issue.

You Might Also Like

Report alleges targeting of Swiss-based Catalan separatist’s phone

The telephone of Anna Gabriel, a leading figure of the separatist movement in Catalonia who has sought refuge in Geneva, has been reportedly targeted by a “possible case of domestic political espionage”, according to a news investigation.

Biggest Swiss-based arms manufacturers revealed

Exporting arms is big business for Switzerland, but who are the actual manufacturers and exporters? After a five-year legal dispute, names can finally be published. Swiss companies exported CHF501 million ($530 million) in war materiel in the first half of 2020, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said on Tuesday, almost twice as much as the same period in 2019.

Mandatory masks well accepted on Swiss public transport

Passengers on Swiss trams, buses, and trains have adapted well since a rule requiring face masks was introduced a fortnight ago. However, boat operating companies say they are losing business.

Free trade deals save Switzerland billions, study finds

Swiss consumers and importers saved CHF2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) in 2018 thanks to lower customs duties as part of free trade agreements, a study has revealed.

Geneva Airport expects 23 percent fewer passengers in 2021

Geneva Airport officials say the shockwaves of the Covid-19 pandemic will reverberate into next year, with the number of passengers flying to and from the airport expected to be down by almost a quarter compared with pre-coronavirus levels, according to Swiss public radio, RTS.

Switzerland takes Belgium and Mexico off Covid-19 ‘high risk’ list

People arriving in Switzerland from Belgium, Mexico and Luxembourg will no longer have to go into quarantine for ten days.

Zurich invention may be used in Fukushima nuclear clean-up

Researchers in Zurich have developed a filter membrane made of whey proteins and activated carbon that can clean contaminated radioactive water. They hope to deploy their invention at the site of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

Shareholders call for new priorities for manager salaries

Shareholders in Switzerland want a rethink on how managers are paid and demand that priorities regarding corporate governance, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) be redefined, a survey has found.