Health, vaccinations and medical care in Slovakia

Cover

• EU and EEA visitors: carry your EHIC. It gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as a Slovak resident, which means the same modest co-payments they pay.
• UK visitors: the GHIC does the same job. It is not travel insurance and never has been.
• Neither card covers mountain rescue, repatriation or private clinics. For the Tatras specifically, see the safety section - this is the gap that catches people.

Ticks

• Tick-borne encephalitis is present in Slovak forests and the country is a recognised risk area. The tick season runs roughly April to October.
• A vaccine exists and is worth discussing with a travel clinic if you are hiking, camping or working outdoors, and especially if you are here repeatedly.
• Lyme disease is the commoner tick infection. Cover up in long grass and woodland, use repellent, and check yourself at the end of a day outdoors.
• Remove a tick promptly with fine tweezers, straight out, without twisting or burning it.

Everyday health

• Tap water is safe to drink across the country.
• Pharmacies (lekaren) are well stocked and pharmacists are qualified to advise on minor problems. Larger towns have a rota for out-of-hours cover.
• Standards of care are good in cities, more variable in rural areas. Bratislava and Kosice have the major hospitals.
• Bring enough of any prescription medicine for the trip plus a margin, in its original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.