Creepy crawly ticks are a major problem in Central Europe! Everyone told us we needed to get the FSME tick shot to protect us from encephalitis. It seems that over half the ticks in the area carry this potentially deadly disease. After doing our own research we decided it would be best to adhere to the advice of our new friends and colleagues and get the shot.

The kids were excused from classes so we could go down to the Health Department and have the first shot. We will return in four weeks for the booster shot. My German came in handy as we navigated the required forms and clinic staff!

After getting the shot we all had to hold our arms for 5 minutes to stop any bleeding. I guess Austrian clinics don’t stock Band-Aids. We then were required to sit for 20 minutes in case of an allergic reaction. Happy to say everyone was fine and now we are protected in case of a tick bite!