The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

First Swiss damages awarded for Covid vaccine side-effects

Federal government pays compensation for coronavirus vaccination damage for the first time
Federal government pays compensation for coronavirus vaccination damage for the first time Keystone-SDA

For the first time in Switzerland, a person has received financial compensation for coronavirus vaccine damage. Compensation of CHF12,500 and damages of CHF1,360 have been awarded.

+ Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox

The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) has approved the first compensation payment due to coronavirus vaccination damage, a spokeswoman told the Keystone-SDA news agency. The Sonntagsblick had initially reported the facts.

The compensation relates to loss of earnings, which must be proven, the FDHA spokesperson said. The damages are for pain and suffering.

+ Why gender neutral medicine is also good for men

The Department of Home Affairs has received 320 applications to date. Most recently, 50 applications were pending, 30 of which are being examined in detail. For compensation to be awarded, there must be a causal link between the health problems and the vaccination.

In December 2020, the largest vaccination campaign in Swiss history was launched. The government called on everyone to get vaccinated against coronavirus. According to official figures, over 14,000 people in Switzerland died in connection to Covid-19 infection.

Translated from German by DeepL/mga

This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.

If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, if you want to learn more about how we use technology, click here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Millionaires prioritise well-being over material possessions

More

High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions

This content was published on The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.

Read more: High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
Spanish flu: virus genome deciphered a century later

More

Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus

This content was published on Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.

Read more: Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
Three inmates attempt to escape from Sion prison

More

Prison escape foiled by Swiss police

This content was published on Three inmates attempted to escape from Sion prison on Sunday morning. Their capture required a major police operation.

Read more: Prison escape foiled by Swiss police
The start of the holiday season means long traffic jams on the Gotthard

More

Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season

This content was published on The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.

Read more: Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

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.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR