Even at Christmas

Austria’s pharmacies are always there for you!

Austrian pharmacies are open around the clock.

(Bild: Martin Hörmandinger)

Even around the Christmas holidays and New Year, Austria's pharmacists are there to help with health problems. There are no vacation or illness-related closing days, even during the "quietest time" of the year.

The approximately 7,000 pharmacists throughout Austria work more than 80,000 on-call hours a year - in addition to their normal daytime duties. The doors and on-call windows of around 300 pharmacies are open around the clock.

Of course, this also includes the supposedly "quietest time" of the year. Over Christmas and the turn of the year, Austrian pharmacists collectively provide more than 1,100 on-call services. This is because, unlike in other (healthcare) sectors, neither vacation nor illness-related closures are permitted.

No public funding  
Pharmacies take turns to be on call, and in smaller communities, local pharmacies sometimes have to be available every night. This is the only way to provide people with urgently needed medicines in an emergency.

Mag. Pharm. Susanne Ergott-Badawi in an interview with krone.tv

(Bild: krone.tv)

In contrast to medical emergency services, the officially regulated night and on-call service of pharmacies is not financed by the public sector. Pharmacies have to cover the costs of more than 35 million euros a year entirely from their own resources. This is where the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists sees a need for action on the part of the future government. You can find out which pharmacy is currently open via the pharmacy search at apothekerkammer.at or by calling the free health number 1450.

Healthy through the winter 
Colds and infections in particular challenge the immune system of young and old during the cold season. Sufficient sleep, exercise in the fresh air and a diet rich in vitamins and minerals are now even more important than usual. In addition to vitamin C and D, zinc and selenium also help in the fight against infections.

There is also a wide range of traditional herbal preparations available in the pharmacy around the corner, mainly in the form of drops, juices, tablets or teas to strengthen the body's defenses. In addition to extracts from the red coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), extracts of black elderberry (Sambucus nigra L) or cistus (Cistus) have also proven effective. Keep mucous membranes moist!