HHS HealthBeat (July 16, 2012)

It's not 911 over there

It’s not 911 over there

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Everything should go just fine for folks at the Summer Olympics in London. But if you’re visiting and need medical help, keep in mind some things about how the British system works.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky notes that Brits don’t call 911 for help. It’s 999 over there. Similarly, the driving-on-the-other-side-of-the-road business can make our U.S. street-crossing habits dangerous:

“In the United States, we learn to look left, look right and look left again before crossing. In England, travelers should look right, look left and look right again.”

U.S. health insurance might not cover you in Britain. If it doesn’t, you have to pay out of pocket. So you might check your policy, and maybe buy travel insurance.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: July 15, 2012