Why get vaccinated against COVID-19? There are many good reasons to do so. COVID-19 vaccination is very important to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. It complements the other measures such as the hygiene and distancing rules. The vaccination protects people from getting COVID-19, and in particular from getting a severe case of the disease. The more people are vaccinated in Switzerland, the less the other measures will be needed.
• Protecting yourself from a severe case of COVID-19.
COVID-19 can be a very dangerous disease, especially for older people and those with chronic illnesses. Younger and healthy people who get a coronavirus infection often have only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. But they too can suffer a serious case of the disease. With the vaccination you can protect yourself from COVID-19, and in particular from severe forms of the disease. More than 90% of COVID patients in intensive care have not been vaccinated. The vaccines used in Switzerland are safe and provide very good protection from COVID-19 disease. For a vaccine to be authorised and recommended in Switzerland, its benefits must significantly outweigh the risks. Experience so far shows clearly that this is the case for these vaccines.
• Avoiding the consequences of COVID-19
After an infection long-lasting health problems can occur (long Covid), such as shortness of breath during strenuous activity or exhaustion. This can also happen to younger, healthy people. If you get vaccinated you reduce the risk of getting the disease and the potential long-term consequences. In contrast, serious side effects occur very rarely after vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines used in Switzerland. Long-term effects are not to be expected.
• A safe way to get immunity
Acquiring immunity by getting infected and falling ill isn’t recommended, as it can also lead to a severe case of the disease and long-term effects. The COVID-19 vaccination is a controlled way of getting better, longer-term protection without the risks of infection with the coronavirus. According to the latest science, the vaccination protects you from the disease for at least 12 months. There is currently no indication that protection from severe cases of the disease in the general population declines after that. People who have already tested positive for coronavirus should get one dose of vaccine, if possible within three months of their infection. This way they too get better and longer-term protection from infection.
• Supporting health workers
At times the pandemic has placed a serious strain on health workers and the healthcare system. If you have vaccine protection, you won’t need treatment for a severe case of COVID-19. This way you help reduce the burden on the healthcare system, which can continue to provide treatment for other illnesses and in emergencies.
• Protecting the people around you
The vaccination significantly reduces the risk that you will get infected and infect other people. Even though the vaccination doesn’t completely prevent transmission, it does mean you can protect particularly vulnerable people, for example those with a weakened immune system for whom the vaccination doesn’t work so well. And by getting vaccinated you also protect people who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons, as well as children for whom vaccination isn’t yet possible. The more people that are vaccinated, the fewer will get COVID-19 and infect others.
• Strengthening mental health
The spread of the coronavirus during this pandemic has reduced our contacts with other people. This can impair well-being and make mental illness worse or more likely to occur. The protection provided by COVID-19 vaccination can help reduce anxiety and enable us to be more relaxed around other people again. The vaccination is also an act of solidarity with our fellow human beings.
• Fighting the effects of the pandemic
If fewer people get ill with COVID-19, our everyday lives can return to normal. Vaccination is the most effective way, in combination with the hygiene and distancing rules, to limit the pandemic and enable us to enjoy a carefree, normal life again. The more people are vaccinated in Switzerland, the sooner we’ll be able to do without the other measures. By getting vaccinated you’re making an important contribution to your personal health and the health of others – in Switzerland, in Europe, and all over the world.
Read more on the website of the Swiss Confederation.