Switzerland: Green politician calls for mandatory labeling for non-vaccinated carers

With the support of the Federal Vaccination Commission for non-vaccinated people, politicians in Switzerland are now calling for stigmatization of the unvaccinated.

On Sunday, the President of the Green Liberal Party, Jürg Grossen, demanded that the certificate requirement be extended “to smaller events such as theaters and cinemas or for banquets in the catering trade”. According to him, a “great incentive” to vaccinate should be created, especially among younger people. Even those who want to go to the cinema or the pub should in future have to prove that they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered.

In the same context, there is also the requirement that certificates for rapid tests must be paid for by the Swiss themselves. In future, non-vaccinated nurses and kindergarten teachers will have to identify themselves by means of “stickers” so that it is clear to everyone that the unvaccinated pose “an increased potential risk of infection”.

Grossen said this made sense “in public institutions where people are cared for and could become infected”.

Ruth Humbel of the party Die Mitte told the platform nau.ch that wearing a mask instead of a sticker could be a sign of being unvaccinated. “Insofar as it is medically and epidemiologically justified, people who have been vaccinated in the healthcare system should also be exempted from wearing a mask.” Non-vaccinated people, however, would still have to wear a mask, she said. This also makes it clear who is vaccinated and who is not.

The Center Médical des Cadolles SA private clinic in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, which will open next year, already announced to Swiss daily Blick: “Future employees must show their vaccination certificate. Otherwise they will not be employed.”

The so-called Epidemics Act in Switzerland allows the Confederation and the cantons to impose compulsory vaccinations for certain groups such as nursing staff because otherwise public health would be “significantly endangered”.

Felix Huber, President of the Swiss medical association mediX commented: “This is not an issue for our practices. […] We must continue to do positive persuasion.”

Roswitha Koch from the Swiss Professional Association of Nursing Women and Nursing Specialists (SBK) emphasized: “For us, it is very important that as many people as possible in Switzerland get vaccinated. We have to inform and advise people so well that they choose it voluntarily.”