[ad_1]
Greater Zurich and all of northeastern Switzerland are considered to be at risk for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). This virus is transmitted by ticks and can lead to meningitis. As tick areas widen, the Federal Crop Damage Commission is currently reviewing a nationwide vaccination recommendation, as reported today by the SRF program "HeuteMorgen".
Just two weeks ago, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported a significant increase in cases of encephalitis with ticks. Since the beginning of the year, 230 people have been infected with the dangerous virus. This is significantly more than in previous years.
No case in Ticino
Therefore, a recommendation for vaccination only for areas at risk is less and less meaningful, says Christoph Berger, chair of the Federal Commission for Immunization Issues, in the radio report . Risk areas would merge more and more. A general recommendation for vaccination would therefore be a simpler solution.
The Commission has already set up a working group to submit specific requests to the Confederation. It is examined whether the vaccination recommendation for the whole of German-speaking Switzerland and Western Switzerland should apply in the future. Ticino is excluded from the recommendation of the Commission, no case of TBE having taken place there.
Health insurance now compulsory
Currently, health insurance only pays for TBE vaccinations if the person concerned lives in a risk zone. If the vaccination recommendation were to apply nationwide, health insurance should pay everywhere in the future.
According to Berger, the vaccination recommendation could already come into force next year. The final decision belongs to the Minister of Health, Alain Berset
An expert has tested the stripping of ticks:
Detector of ticks classified by the expert
(dwe)
Source link
