COVID-19 Information

General information on vaccination

• FOPH: Vaccination recommendation from 10.10.2022 (in French)
• The bivalent mRNA vaccine Spikevax® from Moderna (Wuhan and BA.1 strain) is recognised and reimbursed by the Confederation
• A single dose of mRNA vaccine is now also recommended for people aged 16 to 64 years without risk factors (2 doses at 4-week intervals are still possible). This recommendation is based on the fact that the majority of the population has been infected, even without confirmation by a test.
• Two doses of mRNA vaccine are still recommended for unvaccinated vulnerable people, with monovalent vaccine (bivalent possible but off-label)
• Booster vaccination is recommended as a priority for vulnerable people, to protect them against a severe form of the disease. The target groups, from highest to lowest recommendation, are
  1. vulnerable persons (VPs)
     • people aged 65 and over
     • people aged 16 to 64 with a high individual risk due to a chronic disease listed in the FOPH categories, pregnancy or Down’s syndrome;
  2. persons aged 16 to 64 who are in professional or private contact with vulnerable persons, including health care personnel;
  3. people aged 16 to 64, without risk factors (individual decision).
     NB 1: Moderna vaccine is not recommended for BSH patients under 30 years of age as >97% of the population is immune and risk of endo/pericarditis with this vaccine. People under 30 should continue to be vaccinated preferentially with Comirnaty® (Pfizer)
     NB2: Booster vaccination with a bivalent vaccine in people under 18 years of age is currently off-label (duty to inform).
• Children aged 5-15 years :
  • Vaccination remains recommended with a single dose for chronically ill children aged 5-15 years
  • No booster vaccination is recommended this autumn for children under 16 years of age because severe disease is extremely rare in this group.
• Booster vaccination is recommended, either homologous or heterologous, preferably with the bivalent mRNA vaccine
• The booster should be given no earlier than four months
  • after the previous dose
  • or after infection with COVID-19 (justified by the fact that protection against severe disease persists for some months after reinfection).
• You can vaccinate against influenza and Covid simultaneously (but not in the same arm!)

Get vaccinated against Coviod 19:

• Geneva
  • Online registration (cantonal platform)
  • Hotline 7/7d: 0800 909 400
  • Vaccination centres
• Vaud
  • Online registration via Coronavax.ch
  • Hotline: 058 715 11 00

3rd full catch-up dose?

According to this information from the FOPH, a 3rd dose should be administered to patients with severe immunosuppression AND whose serology does not show satisfactory antibodies 4 weeks after the 2nd vaccination. If you are one of the patients who have immunosuppression criteria as mentioned in the text or if you have any doubts, please contact your treating physician so that he/she can evaluate the relevance of organizing a serology. In this context only, the costs of serology are covered by the Confederation.

Serologies

According to the recommendations updated on 28.5.2021, a positive serology is also accepted as proof of past infection and can count as a vaccine dose  However, antibody testing is not recommended or reimbursed prior to vaccination for either the first or second dose.

An anti-nucleocapsid (anti-N) serology (at your expense) can therefore be potentially useful if you do not wish to take a second dose, especially because of the side effects, and wish to know if you have had the disease in the past without knowing it. Such a positive serology can only result in a covid pass if it is done BEFORE the 14th day after the 1st dose.

If you wish to do such a serology, please note that :

• a prescription is not necessary because this laboratory is not reimbursed by the health insurance
  a medical visit is not necessary because all the information is already on this page.

• As of April 1, 22, it is now recommended to be tested only if:
  • You are a vulnerable person (vaccinated or not)
  • You are in contact with a vulnerable person (vaccinated or not)
• Read the official recommendations if you have symptoms or a positive test
• In this case, contact your doctor or one of the official testing centers or laboratory even if you have been vaccinated:
  • Canton of Geneva
  • Nyon area
  • Renens/Lausanne area
  • Vevey area
• the federal government covers the costs of both PCR tests and rapid antigen tests. However, if your case requires a more in-depth medical consultation, a 2nd additional Tarmed invoice can be sent to you or your health insurance.
• Magellan is not a screening center; our priority is to ensure the continuity of essential care for our patients in complete safety. Note that Magellan only performs PCR (smear) tests and not rapid antigenic tests.
• In case of a positive test, there is no more isolation, the cantonal doctor no longer issues a certificate. Only your attending physician can do it as for any “usual” disease. In this case:
  • Wear a mask
  • Disinfect your hands frequently
  • Limit social contact as much as possible while you are symptomatic

Rafael, the post-covid platform of the HUG is a support for patients who suffer from very frequent and sometimes extremely disabling post-covid symptoms (see the TSR 36.9 programme of 14.09.22 on this subject).

• Geneva information on covid tests for travel
• Magellan does not do rapid antigenic testing.
• With few exceptions, Magellan does not perform PCR testing for travel. We invite travelers to get tested in specific centers:
  • Canton of Geneva
  • Nyon area
  • Renens/Lausanne area
  • Vevey area
• The Department of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine of the HUG provides a list updated weekly of entry requirements for most countries in the world. This document allows you to see at a glance :
  • the level of requirements of the countries,
  • the existence of alternatives to screening
  • the recommendation of a travel medicine consultation.
• The rapid self-test is not valid for travel (a PCR or a rapid antigen test by a professional is required)

FOPH information for travellers and quarantine

A new additional dose for travel reasons (CovidPass expired) is not covered by the LaMal. The French-speaking cantons have agreed on a single price of 60 Frs to be paid by the patient.

Online registration at: https://covid19.impf-check.ch

As of May 2, 2022, EU-compatible COVID certificates of cure will also be issued following a positive rapid antigen test, with a validity period of 180 days

• Information on the website “Covid Certificate”  of the Canton of Geneva
• Information from the Canton of Vaud (French)
• Information from the Federal Office of Public Health
• National COVID certificate application platform
  In Geneva, to obtain a certificate following a positive PCR test, fill in the optional field “Test location (optional)” with this text: “Cabinet médecin Genève, test fait par Viollier qui ne délivre pas le certificat”.

As of April 1, 2022, there is no longer mandatory isolation in case of a positive Covid test.

• In case of a positive test, there is no more isolation, the cantonal doctor no longer issues a certificate. Only your attending physician can do it as for any “usual” disease. In this case:
  • Wear a mask
  • Disinfect your hands frequently
  • Limit social contact as much as possible while you are symptomatic

The cantonal doctor will no longer issue a work stoppage, only your doctor can do it as for any other disease.

• Geneva hotline
• Vaud Hotline
• Frequently asked questions (OFSP)
• General information from the canton of Geneva and the canton of Vaud
• Still no answer? Call your doctor.

• OFSP : General information about coronavirus
• New coronavirus: Downloads in various languages
• Coronavirus vaccine INFOVAC information