Sun, 8 November 2009
A century and a quarter after a cutler set out to supply Swiss soldiers with a survival tool, the Swiss Army knife adapts to the urban jungle.
Read Jessica of Swisstory's adventure in obtaining her Swiss driver's licence, with helpful checklist.
Expatica reader Carolyn Moncel searches for the best salons in Paris and Switzerland serving black women.
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The world is facing a flu pandemic. The World Health Organisation raised the level of alert to phase 6, the highest phase. What does that mean?In general people returning from foreign countries, who develop a fever of at least 38.5 degrees within four days, should contact their doctor immediately, so that the flu variant can be diagnosed quickly.
This is the first time in 41 years that alarm phase 6 has been reached. The last flu pandemic was during the Hong Kong flu outbreak in 1968, in which around a million people died. Mexican flu is considered to be a much milder virus.
There's still a lot of uncertainty about the new flu variant that has appeared in Mexico. But people still want to know what precisely is happening and what can be done about it. Here's a selection of FAQs (frequently asked questions), and the answers.
1. What is swine flu?
Mexican flu would be a better name for this disease. The new virus is a mixture of influenza viruses from birds, pigs and humans. As a species, pigs constitute a big reserve of flu viruses. Because pigs are genetically very similar to humans, viruses are often exchanged between these two mammals. Now that the virus has spread from human-to-human, it is a “human virus”. The virus that caused the Spanish flu epidemic around the end of the First World War originated in birds and spread to humans via a swine variant. Strangely enough, the current 'swine flu virus' only affects humans.
Explore our guide to popular expat locations including Bern, Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lugano.
The Zurich branch manager of Network Relocation offers tips and info to help with the house hunt.
This in-depth profile of Switzerland includes geography, people, government, economy and transnational issues.
An introduction to compulsory and optional forms of insurance in Switzerland.
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