When travelling, especially to tropical countries, it is a good idea to consult a doctor beforehand. Vaccination is a prerequisite for travelling to many countries.
Many hospitals in Estonia have paid travel medicine offices, where you can get answers to issues in this field. You can also get the necessary vaccinations there and obtain an international certificate on being vaccinated against yellow fever.
Here, you can see the details of the European Health Insurance Card issued to you and order a replacement certificate.
Communicable diseases and vaccination
Up to seven diseases can be vaccinated against during one visit. Antibodies develop in the body within 10–14 days after the injection. Therefore, the minimum interval between vaccination and travel is two weeks. However, three to four weeks is recommended, as immunity is sure to develop during that time.
Vaccination depends on the destination and time of travel
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On a few days’ business or conference trip to the capital or major cities of a country, you do not need to be vaccinated specifically against anything if the conditions are relatively safe.
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For tourist trips lasting one to two weeks or longer, including visits to rural regions with poor sanitary conditions, you should be vaccinated against the most common diseases in the destination country.
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If you are travelling for several months or visiting relatives, be sure to get vaccinated.
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If you stay abroad for more than six months or visit the risk area repeatedly, you must be vaccinated.
If you are travelling to countries in the Pacific region, as well as to Asia, Africa, or Central or South America, you should seek advice from your doctor in advance about possible infectious diseases and the necessary vaccinations. There are countries where a vaccination certificate is considered as important as a passport when crossing borders. It is also important to bear in mind that many vaccinations need to be made several months before travelling.
It should be borne in mind that typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea, and dysentery can be spread through contaminated food and water. If the hygiene standards of a catering establishment are poor, unpasteurised milk and dairy products, raw meat, salads, salad dressings, and seafood should be avoided.
More information on travel vaccinations can be found at vaktsineeri.ee
Travelling with medicinal products
When travelling, you need to think about what medicinal products you want to take with you.
You can take your own medicinal products and those of your family members with you on your trip, but you may need an authorisation from the State Agency of Medicines to confirm that they are medicinal products prescribed by a doctor and bought from a pharmacy for personal use.
The need for an authorisation depends on
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the medicines you take with you (psychotropic or narcotic medicines may require authorisation from the State Agency of Medicines)
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the amount of medicines you take with you
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where you are travelling to and through which countries
If you are travelling with narcotic and/or psychotropic medicines and you will be staying in a country within the Schengen area during your trip, you will need a Schengen certificate from the State Agency of Medicines. When travelling to a country outside the Schengen area, the need for a permit depends on the quantity of narcotic and/or psychotropic medicines you are taking with you.
You can find out more information on whether you need authorisation from the State Agency of Medicines when travelling abroad.
If you are planning to go abroad and want to buy prescription medicines while you are there, ask your doctor for a paper prescription. A prescription issued in Estonia is valid in all European Union Member States, but you should be aware that a prescription may not be available in another country and may have a different name. Narcotic and psychotropic medicines cannot be bought from another country with an Estonian prescription.
The Estonian digital prescription is valid in pharmacies in Finland, Croatia, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, and the Czech Republic. When buying a prescribed medicinal product, you only need to provide your ID card or passport. More information on cross-border digital prescriptions is available on the website of the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK). It is not possible to buy narcotic and psychotropic medicines, anabolic steroids, medicines without a valid marketing authorisation in Estonia, extemporaneous preparations (i.e. medicines prepared on site at a pharmacy), and medical devices with a cross-border prescription. When buying prescription medicines abroad, it is important to bear in mind that the same medicinal products may not be available in all countries or may have different names.
For information on buying prescription medicines in EU Member States, visit the Your Europe portal.
Health insurance in the European Union
A person insured in the Health Insurance Fund who is temporarily staying in a Member State of the European Union will receive the medical care they need under the same conditions as insured persons living in that country. When travelling in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, you will need to bring your European Health Insurance Card or a replacement certificate.
References
- European Health Insurance Card
- Travelling with medicinal products
- Unplanned healthcare in EU (Portal Your Europe)
- Presenting a prescription abroad (Portal Your Europe)
- Prescriptions abroad: expenses and reimbursements (Portal Your Europe)
Services
- My personal data in the Health Insurance Fund
- Ordering the European Health Insurance Card or its replacement certificate