Europe

The Form E111 is no longer valid. You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Austrian nationals. It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature.  For more general information see EHIC.
 

If you are planning to visit forested areas, you are advised to seek medical advice about inoculations for tick borne encephalitis, which is endemic from spring to autumn.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 9,800 adults aged 15 or over in Austria were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.2% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

 

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Austria and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see the Travel Health and Swine Flu  and the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.