Spain Pre-Departure Health

In your passport, write the names of any people you wish to be contacted in case of a medical emergency and list any allergies or medical conditions. Matching a prescription to a foreign equivalent is not always easy, safe, or possible, so if you take prescription drugs, carry up-to-date prescriptions or a statement from your doctor. While traveling, keep all medication with you in your carry-on luggage. Spanish and Portuguese names for common drugs are quite similar to their English names (aspirina, ibuprofen, acetaminofén), and brand names are generally recognizable in both countries.

Travelers over two years old should make sure that the following vaccines are up to date: MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella), DTaP or Td (for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), IPV (for polio), Hib (for haemophilus influenzae B), and HepB (for Hepatitis B).

Useful Organizations And Publications

The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC; ☎+1-877-FYI-TRIP; www.cdc.gov/travel) maintains an international travelers’ hotline and an informative website. Consult the appropriate government agency of your home country for consular information sheets on health, entry requirements, and other issues for various countries (see the listings in the box on Travel Advisories, ). For quick information on health and travel warnings, call the Overseas Citizens Services (From overseas +1-202-501-4444, from US 888-407-4747; line open M-F 8am-8pm EST). For information on medical evacuation services and travel insurance firms, see the US government’s website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/abroad_health.html or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk). For general health information, contact the American Red Cross (☎+1-202-303-4498; www.redcross.org).

Insurance

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