Swiss government says it would broaden access to free Covid vaccines

Geneva, Feb 3 (AFP/APP): the Swiss government said Wednesday it would broaden access to free Covid vaccines to include foreign diplomats and people who live abroad but work in Swiss health care.

Swiss authorities have already said that anyone with Swiss health insurance, which is obligatory for regular residents, will receive the jabs free of charge to ensure widespread vaccination. And on Wednesday, the government said it was extending the free access to cross-border workers employed by Swiss health care and care institutions who are insured in their countries of residence and not in the landlocked country.

And while the many ambassadors, diplomats and staff of international organisations like the United Nations — who are exempt from the Swiss health insurance requirement — may not appear the most needy, they too have been added to the list. “The aim of covering vaccination costs for a wider circle of people is to encourage those living in Switzerland who are not covered by Swiss health insurance to get vaccinated,” the government said in a statement.

It added that there was also a financial argument for extending free vaccination to the some 150,000 people who come under the new measure. “If all of these people were to be billed individually, the administrative costs would be higher than the cost of the vaccination itself,” the government said.