Iceland

MAIN HEALTH RISKS

• Like any other countries of Western Europe, there are no special health risks.
• Once summer is back, little midges largely proliferate in all the regions where fresh water can be found. They look and behave like mosquitoes and are very aggressive towards Humans.
• When gathered, they may cause hundreds of stings to the unprotected tourist, which are liable to provoke a disease called simuliidosis. Even if this disease is not too serious (fever, general fatigue, headache, itching), it has to be known.

FOOD SAFETY

• Tap water is drinkable in the whole country.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND MEDICATION

• No specific immunization is required from travelers entering the country.
Systematically:
• Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.
• Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children at least two months old.



Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
• Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay, it is recommended to have children immunized against tuberculosis as soon as they reach the age of one month, and against mumps, measles and rubella when they reach the age of nine months.

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES

Reykjavik
• Reykjavik City Hospital, Fossvogi, IS 108: phone + 354 525 10 00, fax + 354 525 17 02
• National University Hospital, Landsspitalinn, V/Eirikisgata, IS 121: phone + 354 560 10 00, fax + 354 560 15 95

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

• Firemen: 112
• Police : 112
• Ambulances: 112

CLIMATE

• In summer, temperatures are quite nice in Iceland and the sun sets very late from the end of May to mid-August. At the end of June, the sun sets at midnight and rises at 3.00 a.m. Aurora borealis can be seen from the end of August.
• In winter, nights are very long and temperatures cooler. The weather is wet all year long and changes several times a day. November, December and Juanary are the darkest months of the year.
• When to go: between June and September.