Do you feel you have access to a Covid vaccine in your country?
We want to know when you will get a jab and if vaccines are being made available in the most effective way to stop the pandemic.
Login or register here to tell us about your experiences!
From the article Switzerland’s stop-and-go march to vaccinate everyone by the summer
From the article Covid-19 vaccine: Why we still have a long wait ahead
NO I DON'T.
Since December they have been vaccinating over75 years upwards. Why does none of the Press or media challenge the parliament ministers? We Badly need someone like Piers Morgan on the case.
Still over 3 months later the Coronavax website says the same. It's beginning to get people very anxious & annoyed. You get the impression that the Fédéral parliament don't give a hoot as to whats happening. (you only have to look at the results in the UK)
Since the vaccines have been rolled out, only 2 vaccines have been approved Pfizer & Moderna. Both work well from all accounts. For some unknown reason Swissmedic are stuck on the fence about AstraZeneca. Again a good vaccine from all accounts.
Know Swissmedic have provisionally approved the Johnson & Johnson One jab wonder, that only provides 66.9% efficiency. WHY???? It seems ludicrous that for some unknown reason they totally ignore a proven efficent jab, in favour of an inferior product.
Very bad & illogicall reasoning.
Folks are protesting to have lockdown restrictions lifted, some European countries are heading for a 3rd lockdown because of rising Nos. If the parliament want to make any inroads to bringing back the economy, It's imperative that they've got to get folks vaccinated. ut under this current "Head in the Sand attitude" it's a long way off.
We can't understand why learned government ministers, can't see this. They should take a leaf out of Boris Johnson's book.
When questioned about the Fédéral parliaments vaccine ordering strategy. RADIO SILENCE
In my (blue) northeast state, if you are elderly, you can register on the website of the state health department, and eventually will be notified of an appointment available in your county. The county vaccine center nearest me is very organized, a collaboration between one of our hospital systems and the U.S. Army. I do not know what to believe about the effectiveness or dangers of the vaccine, but I made the decision to get it and am not going to second guess things now. There are also places in the state you can go without an appointment, but you'd have to drive to a stadium, and wait for hours, which is simply not manageable for many elderly people.
The answer to you question is "No"
We don't have any information,
When questioned, The Federal councillors don't give any concret answers, the website still say people over 75 years of age for the last three months. What we want to know is WHEN WILL BE BE VACCINATED?
1000 jabs a minute in the UK. I've re-calculated how long I have to wait for a jab here. Still over 3 years for my first injection. Hopefully things speed up soon. I'll die of old age before I get vaccinated.
Well in the UK people get the inferior AstraZeneca vaccin, inte not even permitted in Switzerland.
Yes, I would get the vaccine! Because the information I have about Pfizer vaccine volunteers would indicate that reactions to the vaccine are rare. Knowing that in my country I have the future in Sputnik V and that the method is shared with others in the West and that a few thousand have been vaccinated, still no adverse reactions. Those are the reasons why I would vaccinate, another reason is that I wish to get out of this cloistered hell. Happy New Year-
Sí, me vacunaría! Porque la información que poseo sobre voluntarios de la vacuna Pfizer me indicaría que son escasos las reacciones a la misma. Sabiendo que en mi país tengo el futuro en la Sputnik V y que se comparte el método con otras de occidente y que se han vacunado unos cuantos miles, aún sin reacciones adversas. Son las razones por las cuales me vacunaría, otra de las razones es que deseo salir de este infierno de clausura. Feliz año-
The simple idea that the State will solve our problems is problematic. Quite clearly, we are not helped right now. While the UK can vaccinate 600'000 persons (78’000 in proportion in Switzerland) a day, 6 or 7 days a week compared with the achievements of the swiss federal government, they are not able to offer more than 60’000 jabs a month according to swissinfo.
Switzerland should sign tomorrow with the UK a mutual agreement on recognition of drugs, if necessary put aside the slow swissmedic agency and allow the private sector to acquire for example the novavax vaccine. It has, according to the Telegraph a 89% effectiveness and probably less customers. Bypassing the state will eventually offer some hope.
Thanks for your contribution. Just an update - yesterday, Switzerland signed more vaccine deals yesterday. The latest is with Curevac. You raise some interesting questions about what role the public sector and private sector should be playing in such a health crisis. [url]https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/government-rules-out-early-end-to-covid-restrictions/46341368[/url]
In addition to Curevac, Switzerland also signed a deal with Novavax
Hi
In your article today you report that exports of vaccine TO Switzerland will not be denied under the EU export ban.
However, I understand the Switzerland itself is a major manufacturer of the vaccines in question.
Does the EU ban prevent exports of Swiss-made vaccine and precursors FROM Switzerland to other countries??
Is the Swiss government likely to contemplate such an action if requested by other countries?
Here in Australia we risk being caught up as collateral damage by the EU export ban because we must import from there. Is Switzerland able to supply directly from its own facilities, or is it also bound by the EU's ban?
Thanks
Stephen Morris
(Australia)
[url]https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-exempt-from-eu-vaccine-export-controls/46329832[/url]
Hi Stephen, These are really good questions. I reached out to the federal health office to see if I could get some answers but then the EU backtracked a bit on establishing export controls. Based on my research/conversations, vaccine production from start to finish is very global with ingredients, vials, etc, coming from all over that export controls are difficult. For example, the Moderna vaccine being produced in Switzerland is supposedly sent to other locations such as Spain to be filled into vials and then shipped back.
Switzerland is way behind some other countries here.
Israel with 9.5 millions vaccinated over 2 mil already since the beginning of the year. Switzerland barely made 200k.
Swiss administrative system is very ineffective when it comes to crisis management. It takes too much time to react, it is too slow on federal level, and too diverse on cantonal one.
It’s very disappointing.
And vaccination is very slow, putting the country behind most of its neighbors
Phoned by Doctors Surgery on 6/1/2021 first jab given on 9/1/2021 @ 11.10 on time. Quick registration in and out in about 20 minutes, including 15 minutes 'recovery'. No after effects so far. Follow up jab is in early April. Most impressed. An illustration of how to do it by the N H S.
At the moment I have absolutely no idea when vaccines will be available in Lombok, Indonesia, and what priorities will be once they do reach here.
I am in Lombok, Indonesia. No idea when the vaccines will reach here.
I will do it last. When everyone else has taken it I will be safe enough as the only one at risk in the world so I can take it then.
I believe there is insufficient information and guidance to getting a vaccine to my family and me.
How are we supposed to know when we can take or request for one? Do we go and ask our doctor? Will they say no? Say yes?
How do we know?
Who will get it first? Rich people?
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. There is quite some confusion at the moment as the approaches are different across countries and cantons. If you are in Switzerland, your respective cantonal website should have some information or you can ask your doctor. There are still some unknowns with regards to who can receive a vaccine beyond the first priority groups.
The information given on my cantonal website is too vague. GP practices can’t give answers on their progress and I believe they don’t want people ringing them up all the time with questions which blocks their lines for other patients with more urgent issues.
Telling people, for much longer, that they need to be patient is not helpful as everyone’s circumstances differ widely and many have respected all the self-distancing and other covid rules with great patience for a very long time now and often at considerable personal cost in terms of their health and other resources.
Reliance solely on GP practices, as in some areas, is insufficient for rolling out a mass vaccination programme at any speed. There also needs to be municipal vaccination centres as in other cantons and countries. A national programme might have been more efficient.
One home for the elderly had no plans as each resident has their own GP and it was suggested that each should contact their own GP. It is difficult to understand why a community nurse, team, or qualified professional in the home, cannot carry out vaccinations fo a maximum of 50 residents. This would also reduce the risk of spread of infection by displacements of the residents as well as bumping them up what appear to be very slow lists. A few of the semi-independent elderly are less willing to adhere to, or perhaps fully understand, the covid protective recommendations thus increasing the risks to themselves and to others.
“The government wants all elderly residents of old people’s homes to get a jab by the end of January. Anyone over 75 and the most vulnerable should get a shot by the end of February, followed by 70% of over-65s by the end of March. The rest of the population should then follow.
Vaccines will be offered in hospitals, clinics, regional vaccination centres, by mobile teams and in doctor’s practices. Pharmacies have also offered their services.”
Far too slow. Where are these additional facilities? They are certainly not yet available in my area.
Switzerland did not care to reserve vaccines fast enough. Now we have to wait a long queue till enough vaccines will be delivered.
Even for high risk and orderly, there is not nearly enough. In Vaud, the authorities are pushing back vaccinations till end of February, because with current supply they do not have enough to do the second jab for those who managed to receive the first one already.
Ridiculous
You must calm down. You write so many confusing falsehoods here.
HAT - January 23, 2021 - 23:49
Currently that would not work without an NHS number and U.K. residency. As in Switzerland and in other countries, groups are prioritised and individuals have to wait to be contacted accordingly.
Vaccinations for covid-19 in both Switzerland, and in the U.K. as you point out, are free of charge.
Brexit also means changes to the regulations on eligibility for use of services provided by the NHS. Even for those working on the NHS frontline with infected SARS-CoV-2 patients clarification is urgently needed.
“Foreign NHS workers could be denied Covid vaccine in England
by Aamna Mohdin,, theguardian.com
January 22, 2021 07:29 AM”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/22/foreign-nhs-workers-risk-being-denied-covid-vaccine-england
Just saying (while absolutely believing everyone is free to choose what they want to eat) .... the most "artificial & processed" foods you can buy today are all the newly popular VEGAN replacements and other lactose & gluten free etc. foods ....
There are fashions in foods and fashions change with time.
It is not relevant. The virus was never dangerous to healthy people.
PASSERBY2
Tragically the statistics show otherwise and a good number of apparently fit and healthy people have contracted covid-19, and some with very severe or fatal consequences.
Vaccination is the most effective means available to reduce the spread of the virus. A problem is that apparently healthy people may have underlying conditions or a weakened immune system that they may not be aware of or they may carry the virus which can very rapidly spread to others and as has been seen throughout communities.
Healthy does not guarantee not stupid.
Nobody is suggesting stupidity but healthy offers no guarantees that individuals are not susceptible to the virus.
Underlying conditions can be without any visible symptoms as can carrying the virus. Even if carriers are and remain symptom free the virus is very easily and rapidly spread to those who are more vulnerable causing many very serious illness which can lead to fatality as has been shown by the global statistics. Surely nobody wants themselves or others end up in an ICU desperately ill with covid-19 and without the knowledge of how well or if they will recover?
The easiest way in my Canton is to inform your family doctor that you are willing and would like to receive the vaccine if and when needed .... The doctor then evaluates your health conditions/needs and adds you to a list or not.
I find that is a better solution than a free for all where those most in need might not get served.
A few days later I received a phone call and SMS with a time and date in the very near future..
Very pleased with the orderly and fair process.
It would be helpful to have more information on the vaccination programme and its progress and roughly where one stands in the queue. Even though we can’t go anywhere at the moment some of us do need to be able to make some future plans.
My husband is high-risk. He is also forced to work from his office and commute every day. Everyone is confused about how to get this vaccine. Plus lockdown policies treat people as if they are children without giving any reasons for what is happening with the delay in vaccines here. I know people in other countries, younger than me (45), who have been vaccinated. What is the problem here please?
Over 65s were supposed to be in the higher risk group and told to stay at home but have now been pushed down the list of vaccination priorities. Some people have to travel home as soon as foreign travel restrictions are lifted and might be lucky enough to get the first vaccination but may have difficulties rejoining a list elsewhere to get the second vaccine at the recommended time.
It is difficult to plan anything with such a lack of information on the vaccine schedules and their progress. Having looked regularly for information at the end of December and January on the official and local GP websites, it was only by chance talking to somebody in the street that I discovered you had to put your name on a list at your GP practice to be contacted by them for an appointment but they were unable to give any further information.
Tests are also problematic with the 72 rule for results. What happens if you book flights, do the test and do not get the results back in time? If it is positive you cannot travel. All of these issues and extra insurance add considerably to the cost of the journey.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.