The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid for nationals of EU and EFTA countries. The EHIC regulates care and reimbursement of costs in the event of illness for EU and EFTA citizens. A right to treatment – if urgently necessary – exists with doctors and in hospitals that are approved by the foreign statutory health insurance provider. Dental treatment is usually not a benefit under Maltese health insurance law. The major hospitals are St Luke’s in Gwardamanga in Malta and Gozo General Hospital in Gozo. The EHIC does not include repatriation after a serious illness or an accident abroad. Statutory health insurance companies are not allowed to offer this service. Only private travel insurance companies pay for return transport. It is therefore recommended that you take out health insurance abroad for the duration of your stay, which covers risks that are not covered by statutory health insurance companies. Check ebizdir for more information.
Notes vaccinations
[1] A vaccination certificate against yellow fever is required for all travelers arriving within six days of staying in a WHO-designated infected area and who are over nine months old. Children under the age of nine months arriving from these areas may be quarantined or placed under surveillance. Excluded are transit passengers who do not leave the transit area in Malta.
Food and drink
Due to the risk of possible intestinal infections, careful drinking water and food hygiene must be ensured. Tap water is a mixture of groundwater and desalinated seawater and should not be drunk or only boiled. Milk is pasteurized and consuming dairy products is safe. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are safe to eat.
Other risks
The standard vaccinations for children and adults recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (including against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, measles, rubella, pneumococci, poliomyelitis and influenza) should be refreshed before the trip if necessary. UV radiation in Malta is very high and can cause skin damage. Sun protection through skin-covering clothing and sunscreen with a high SPF is therefore required. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B occur. A hepatitis A vaccination is generally recommended. Vaccination against hepatitis B should be given during longer stays and close contact with the local population, as well as for children and young people in general. HIV/AIDS occurs and is a threat to everyone risk of infection: Unprotected sexual contact, unclean syringes or cannulas and blood transfusions can pose a health risk. Leishmaniasis, which is transmitted by whiteflies, and Kala Azar, a disease also transmitted by mosquitoes, occur nationwide in the summer months and can be avoided with insect repellent.
Health certificate
In Malta and all other EU countries, proof of the COVID vaccination status with the paper vaccination card is valid in addition to the digital COVID-19 vaccination card (EU Digital COVID Certificate). Malta accepts the Swiss COVID certificate.
Money
Currency
1 euro = 100 cents. Currency code: €, EUR (ISO code). Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in denominations of 1 and 2 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
Credit cards
Most hotels and restaurants and many shops accept American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard and Visa. Details from the issuer of the relevant credit card. Card payment is standard practice and free of charge for Euro members.
ATMs
Girocard With the Girocard (formerly EC card) such as the Maestro card, V Pay or Sparcard and PIN number, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in the national currency throughout Europe. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with a debit card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus, V-Pay or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe. Further information from banks and credit institutes. Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money should find out from their bank about the possibility of using their card before starting their journey.
Travelers cheques
Traveller’s checks are no longer available in Germany and Switzerland and are hardly available in Austria. Travelers checks are exchanged at some banks and authorized bureaux de change in major cities in Malta. Traveller’s checks should not be made out in US dollars.
Bank opening hours
Mon-Fri 08.30-14.00 and Sat 08.30-11.30. Some banks are also open later. Opening times vary in winter and summer.
Foreign exchange regulations
For travelers within and from outside the EU, there are no restrictions on the import or export of national and foreign currencies, but there is an obligation to declare funds from an equivalent value of €10,000 (in addition to cash, cash also includes travelers cheques, savings accounts, other currencies, to third parties checks drawn, the true value of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum (gold coins containing at least 90 percent gold grade, uncoined gold in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets containing at least 99.5 percent gold grade), precious stones (but not jewelry). )).
Currency Exchange
Currency exchange is possible in banks, exchange offices, some hotels and larger shops and restaurants. Currency exchange at Malta International Airport is available 24 hours. Money changing machines and ATMs are everywhere.
