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Poster of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for the national vaccination week, which starts today Monday.
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Switzerland has the second lowest vaccination rate in Western Europe. This is in spite of the fact that the country boasts of good education and top medicine.
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There are numerous possible explanations for the vaccination skepticism of many Swiss.
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During the vaccination week offensive, the authorities want to convince numerous doubters to get vaccinated against the pandemic in the interests of the community.
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The authorities want to know again this week. The offensive of the national vaccination week under the motto “Together out of the pandemic” starts today. The vaccination rate in the country is 66 percent, shy of neighboring Austria, where voices are already increasing in favor of a short, hard lockdown.
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Especially when it comes to education, economic and financial issues, the Swiss often consider themselves to be world leaders, which is also confirmed by international rankings. Precisely when it comes to vaccinating against the corona virus, Switzerland is left behind by industrialized countries. What are the reasons?
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Comparatively mild pandemic
Although there have been a total of almost 11,300 deaths to date: Compared to other Western European countries, Switzerland seems to have got off well so far. The number of victims in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the UK are higher than the average population and lockdowns there were harsher. Switzerland was also able to cushion the economic consequences of the pandemic with billions.
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Conspiracy theories and half-truths
This may contradict the general level of education in Switzerland, but the German-speaking countries in particular seem more receptive to conspiracy theories and half-truths that are spread by vaccine skeptics. Tamedia newspapers quote the epidemiologist Marcel Tanner (69).
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There are doubters around the world, according to Tanner. In the German-speaking area, which also includes the below-average vaccinated Germany and Austria, the skeptics appeared particularly early and powerfully. Tanner: “You spread many half-truths about Corona.”
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Good hospitals
The Swiss population also trusts their excellent health system. Even if you fell ill, the hospitals would sort it out. “Possibly you can afford a vaccine-negative attitude in this country, because you know that thanks to our very good hospitals you still have a parachute if you get seriously ill,” said Zurich infectiologist Jan Fehr to Blick.
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Lower health prevention
However, the excellent health system also leads to weaknesses in the fight against pandemics: People tend to trust that doctors have a solution to their complaints. Taking preventive measures by adapting the way of life and strengthening the immune system is less likely to correspond to the approach taken by the Swiss.
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“The idea of prevention is weak wherever the health system has a solution for every complaint – as in Switzerland,” Flurin Condrau, medical historian at the University of Zurich, is quoted by Tamedia. For example, health prevention is generally more important in Scandinavia. This is reflected there in a higher vaccination rate.
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Tolerance towards vaccinators
While there is de facto mandatory vaccination in France and other countries, vaccination critics like to explain the low vaccination rate in Switzerland to the political freedom in the country. The constitution protects people’s freedom better than in most European countries, says Daniel Trappitsch, who is an anti-vaccine from St. Gallen.
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Love of freedom and federalism
Added to this is the love of freedom of the Swiss who are critical of authority, says Trappitsch. This is also confirmed by the Zug center president Gerhard Pfister (59). In central Switzerland in particular, people often react reflexively to official requirements. “Some people in central Switzerland have an anti-centralist, liberal, anti-government reflex,” says Pfister – and he “fully shares this reflex”.
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Related to this: According to historians, federalism reinforces the individualism of the Swiss.
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Sworn and the SVP factor
The fact that Switzerland is probably the only country in the world where the largest ruling party is critical of Corona measures is also noticed abroad. The renowned “FAZ” speaks of «Deployment of the oaths» in Switzerland.
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The skepticism among the population about the comparatively “very cautious state corona measures” goes well beyond the SVP’s conservative clientele, writes the newspaper. But the “largest Swiss party has recognized that it can win over new supporters in this protest environment”.
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Even a Federal Council shows closeness to them: “SVP Finance Minister Ueli Maurer has openly expressed understanding for vaccination skeptics and certificate opponents on several occasions.” According to SVP President Marco Chiesa (47), writes the “FAZ”, “the law discriminates against large parts of the population and divides society”. (kes)
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