Thank you, Cata1yst, Dreispitz, Brianb_ie, Jawbreaker, and Swisscath. Your pointers are extremely valuable; I do know which allergens cause most problems for me (dust, smoke, certain smells, etc), so I'll be sure to stay clear of those. And also I think I'll need to take a comprehensive examination sheet from my doctor in India and then go share it with a doctor in Zürich so that s/he knows my case history.

Fear of asthma not withstanding, I'm looking forward to moving