Vaccine alternative has limited impact on Covid campaign

The vaccination alternative by Johnson & Johnson is simpler in its application but apparently demand in Switzerland is limited. Keystone/Ennio Leanza

The offer of a non-mRNA Covid vaccine in Switzerland has failed to speed up the government’s vaccination campaign, experts say.

Virginie Masserey of the Federal Office for Public Health said about 22,000 doses of a viral vector vaccine from the American company Johnson & Johnson had been administered in Switzerland to date.

The government ordered 150,000 shots of the non-mRNA vaccine and the health authorities have been using it over the past three weeks.

“It doesn’t appear to be an interesting alternative for vaccine critics,” Masserey told a news conference in Bern on Tuesday.

Switzerland has focused its Covid vaccination strategy primarily on two vaccines – Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna – that use mRNA technology.

Vaccination week

Masserey warned that the current rate of vaccinations is insufficient to justify easing health safety restrictions. Currently, 64% of the population are fully vaccinated against Covid. 

The health authorities have planned a special Covid vaccination campaign next week but officials refuse to set a target to gauge its success.

“We will try to convince as many people as possible,” said Rudolf Hauri, a senior cantonal health official.

Meanwhile, it was reported on Tuesday that the number of new Covid infections continues to rise. However, hospital admissions and the situation in intensive care units remain stable. Health officials fear that the cold weather could lead to an increase in admissions.