Switzerland to cover cost of diplomats’ covid vaccines

The Swiss diplomats will be vaccinated for free, said the government Wednesday. The Alpine nation would broaden access to free covid-19 vaccines to include foreign diplomats.

In addition to diplomatic corps, people who live abroad but work in Swiss health care will be vaccinated for free as well. In other words, anyone with Swiss health insurance, which is obligatory for regular residents, will receive the anti-virus shot free of charge to ensure widespread inoculation.

Swiss government confirmed on Wednesday that 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 Cabinet added that there was also a financial argument for extending free inoculation to 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 Swiss government said.