Europe

Health care facilities in Sweden are generally very good.  Almost all medical staff will speak English.  Pharmacies are not generally open outside normal working hours, which means they are closed on Sundays and observe limited hours on Saturdays.  Emergency prescriptions can be obtained at hospitals. If you are visiting remote areas you should consider the relative inaccessibility of the emergency services.  The telephone number for emergencies in Sweden is 112.

The Form E111 is no longer valid.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 Swedish 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.

Tick-borne encephalitis is common to Sweden, especially in the summer months around coastal areas, especially the Stockholm Archipelago.  

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 6,200 adults aged 15 or over in Sweden were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% 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 Sweden 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 the  NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

 

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

The Swedish authorities have confirmed that there have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in ducks and wild birds at various locations in Sweden.  No domestic birds have been identified as having the virus.  No human infections or deaths have been reported.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poulty and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked. 

 

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza, which gives more detailed advice and information.

Swine Flu

There are confirmed human cases of Swine Flu in Sweden. You can check for updates on the number of cases and their location through the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control website (in Swedish). The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase remains at Level 6.  The WHO website has further details. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.