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HEALTH

Vaccinations clinic opens at MedUni Vienna

Austria's first specialist vaccinations clinic will open at the Medical University of Vienna on October 22nd. The outpatient clinic will specialise in patients who, as a result of illness or disease, require personalised care in relation to vaccinations.

Vaccinations clinic opens at MedUni Vienna
Photo: APA/Ralf Hirschberger

At-risk groups include people with cancer, autoimmune diseases, immunosuppression or immune deficiencies, people who have had transplants, who are obese, pregnant women, people who have allergies or even people who have migration-specific needs (many migrants have different or no vaccination programmes in their home country).

"Our aim is to offer these people the best possible personalised prophylactic vaccination support in a way that includes their underlying health condition and existing treatments," said Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt, Head of the Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine.

Pregnant women are recommended to have influenza and whooping cough vaccinations, which also provide effective immunoprotection for the newborn.

The special outpatient clinic at the MedUni Vienna will check which vaccine is the most effective and tolerated for each individual and also determine whether adequate vaccination protection is being built up.

"The one-to-one explanation of the risks and options of having various vaccination treatments is a time-consuming process and is often neglected in the everyday whirl of prescriptions and clinics. There are very few study results on vaccinations in these at-risk groups and there is a shortage of evidence-based vaccination recommendations for clinical practice," said Wiedermann-Schmidt.

Doctors can refer affected patients in at-risk situations to the clinic.

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HEALTH

What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

It's nine pm in Austria, and you're out of painkillers or decongestants. You're desperate for pain relief but your local Apotheke is shut, so what do you do?

What do you do in Austria if your nearest pharmacy is closed?

In Austria Apotheken (pharmacies) are the only places in which you can purchase painkillers and decongestants. Ostensibly in the public interest, but it’s also a lucrative moneymaker for the businesses. This monopoly on the sale of certain pharmaceutical drugs is a subject frequently debated and is of much consternation for overseas arrivals. 

READ MORE: Why are painkillers only sold in pharmacies in Austria?

However, many Apotheken can close as early as six pm, especially if you live outside a major city centre. If you’re suffering from a cold or a nasty headache, it can seem like an eternity until they reopen. 

Fortunately, there is relief. Emergency situations will always arise, and pharmacies often band together to provide service at nights, over weekends and on public holidays.

This is done on a rota basis, so your local Apotheke may not be open, there will be a Apotheken-Notdienst (Emergency-service pharmacy) within a 5 – 10km range. 

Often, Apotheken will have a sign or screen out the front that gives the address and opening times for Apotheken-Notdienst in the area, updated frequently.

A number of websites also exist that can give you the location of operating Apotheken-Notdienst across Austria, such as APO24.at. Entering your PLZ (or postcode) will list the nearest to you. 

However, if they don’t have online access, dialling 1455 while put you in touch with a service who can either direct you to the Apotheken-Notdienst on duty, or help you in getting you further assistance. 

If all else fails, your local hospital should have a Notfall-Praxis – ostensibly an emergency doctor service out of hours. If you’re prepared to wait, you will be able to see a doctor, and they can either dispense medication, or direct you to the hospital pharmacy with a prescription. 

Before you go, it’s worth brushing up on your vocabulary. The Local has developed a list of vocabulary and phrases that you can use to describe your symptoms to pharmacists and doctors, to help them prescribe the best possible medication.

READ MORE: Colds and flu: What to say if you get sick in Austria

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