World Travel Guide Search for a City   Destination Guides > Europe & Russia > Europe > Austria Austria •  Austria •  Where To Go •  When To Go •  Red Tape And Visas •  Health •  Costs, Money And Banks •  Getting Around •  Eating And Drinking •  Communications •  Best Of •  Festivals •  Sports And Outdoor Activities •  Explore Austria AUSTRIA - HEALTH Austria    view all cities Top Travel Destinations •  Salzburg •  Vienna No specific inoculations or health precautions are necessary for a trip to Austria. Minor complaints can be dealt with at any pharmacy ( Apotheke ); pharmacy hours are usually Monday to Friday 8am to noon and 2 to 6pm and Saturday 8am to noon. Pharmacies take turns in staying open at lunchtimes, weekends and overnight. Details of which pharmacies are open at these times are posted in all pharmacy windows, outside the police station and in local newspapers. For serious complaints, head for the casualty department of the nearest hospital ( Krankenhaus ), or call an ambulance (tel 144). As members of the EU, citizens of the UK and Ireland receive free emergency hospital treatment in Austria on production of their passport, though there may be a charge for any medication. Nationals of other countries should check whether their government has a reciprocal health agreement with Austria, or whether they are covered by their personal medical insurance. The best readily accessible source of information about travel health matters is www.cdc.gov operated by the US government's Centers for Disease Control. In Britain, pick up the Department of Health's free booklet Health Advice for Travellers , available at post offices, by phone on 0800/555777, or at www.open.gov.uk/doh/hat . The booklet includes an application for Form E111, which entitles all EU citizens to free medical care across the EU. Water Water is safe to drink all over Austria, whether from taps or from the ubiquitous public street-fountains. These fountains may look dodgy, but almost always gush with pure spring water. Exceptions to this rule are always clearly marked "kein Trinkwasser" , usually accompanied by a pictogram of a crossed-out drinking glass. Take care, however, with mountain streams , which might look fresh, but may well have cows grazing further upstream. Contaminated water can bring on a list of diseases as long as your arm - raging diarrhoea is the best of the bunch. If you're thinking of heading off the beaten track, you should consider taking a water purifier with you. Boiling water for ten minutes should see off most micro-organisms, but it's not the most convenient method, especially as water boils at a lower temperature the higher the altitude, which may mean some of the bugs survive. Sterilization with iodine tablets renders the water unpalatable and is unsafe for pregnant women, babies and those with thyroid complaints. Portable water purifiers, which sterilize and filter the water, give the most complete treatment. A low-cost and highly recommended range made by Pre-Mac is available in the UK from British Airways Travel Clinics (for details of your nearest branch call 01276/685040 or visit www.british-airways.com ) and specialist outdoor equipment retailers. Sunburn and hypothermia The sun and the cold are probably your worst enemies in Austria. You can get sunburnt very quickly in the mountains, due to the combination of a thin atmosphere and reflection off snow, ice and/or water. High-factor sunscreen, a hat and total block (factor 25 or more) are essential. Reflection of the sun's glare can also damage your eyes after a time, so UV-protective sunglasses or ski visors are a must. The ambulance emergency number for anywhere in Austria is 144. The word for ambulance in German is Rettung . Hypothermia , when the body loses heat faster than it can conserve it, is usually brought on by a combination of cold, wind and driving rain, with hunger and fatigue often playing their part. Symptoms include exhaustion, lethargy or dizziness, shivering, numbness in the extremities and slurring of speech. In these initial stages, you must get the sufferer out of the elements and under cover, replace any clothing of theirs that is wet (with your own dry garments if necessary), give them hot liquids, and high-calorie, sugary food such as chocolate, and talk to and encourage them. Alcohol is generally not a good idea. Virtually all high-altitude walks in Austria stay below 3000m, the rough cut-off point above which altitude sickness can rear its head. Headaches, dizziness and breathlessness are the main symptoms, all of which should pass after a day or two at altitude. If they don't, the only treatment is to head down. Ticks If you're anywhere near woodland, below 1200m, there's a possibility you may receive attention from ticks , tiny little parasites no bigger than a pin head, which bury themselves into your skin. Removing ticks by dabbing them with alcohol, butter or oil is now discouraged; the medically favoured way of extracting them is to pull them out carefully with small tweezers. There is a very slight risk of picking up some very nasty diseases from ticks such as encephalitis. Symptoms for the latter are initially flu-like, and if they persist, you should see a doctor immediately. What to bring You can buy good pre-packed travellers' first-aid kits from ordinary pharmacies or travel shops. Particularly useful if you're planning to go hiking are: antiseptic cream, insect repellent, plasters/band aids, water purifier, lint and sealed bandages, knee supports, a course of flagyl antibiotics, paracetamol/aspirin (useful for combating the effects of altitude), hypodermic needles and sterilized skin wipes (more for the security of knowing you have them, than any fear that an Austrian hospital would fail to observe basic sanitary precautions).