Europe

There are reports of confirmed human cases of Swine Flu in Switzerland. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website at: www.who.int/ has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. Check Swine Flu for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

The Form E111 is no longer valid.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 Swiss nationals.  It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature.  For more information see EHIC.

 

An agreement between the EU and Switzerland came into force on 1 June 2002.  If you are a national of the UK or any other EU country, a Swiss national, a stateless person or refugee and you live in the UK, you can use the EHIC to get reduced cost immediately necessary healthcare when visiting Switzerland.  Your dependent family members and survivors are also covered, regardless of their nationality.  If you claim treatment under the EHIC scheme, you will still have to pay the full costs of medical treatment first and claim a refund from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) upon return to the UK.  You will have to pay 50% of the costs of any "medically required" ambulance transport within Switzerland, including air ambulance.  Similar arrangements apply to Liechtenstein.  Detailed information about the EHIC scheme, the treatment available under the EU/Switzerland healthcare agreement can be obtained from the Department of Health's website.

 

Tick-borne encephalitis is common to Switzerland, especially in the summer months in forested areas.

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health has recommended that anyone born after 1963 who has not already been vaccinated against measles should be.  This recommendation also applies to those who have not already had medically-confirmed measles.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 25,000 adults aged 15 or over in Switzerland were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.6% 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 see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Switzerland 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)

In February 2006, the Swiss authorities confirmed outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in the Lake Geneva and Lake Constance areas. A further case was confirmed in March 2008. There have been no reported cases in Liechtenstein. No human infections or deaths have been reported in either country.

 

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 poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.