Travel health

Before you leave

Overseas travel can be a great experience, but it can also expose you to serious infectious diseases. Plan and prepare your travel to stay safe:

• Research your destinations on the Smartraveller website.
• See a doctor for medical advice and to find out what vaccinations you need for travel.
• Understand how to avoid infection risks – see travel health advice for tips.
• Use the health checklist before you go to make sure you’ve covered everything.

Also see our guidance on international travel and COVID-19.

If you are planning to get medical or dental treatment, do some research first. For tips on how to reduce your risk, see going overseas for a medical procedure.

While you travel

When you are overseas you should take steps to reduce your risk of infectious diseases:

• Keep up to date about health risks with Smartraveller subscriber alerts.
• Protect yourself from insect-borne diseases and diseases spread by animals.
• Practice good personal hygiene and food safety.
• Avoid contaminated food and water.
• Avoid unprotected sex (and understand what safe sex means).
• Avoid activities such as tattooing or sharing needles, to reduce your risk of blood-borne diseases.

If you need a doctor, medicine or mental health support, see medical help overseas to find out what to do. 

You cannot claim Medicare for telehealth or other services while you are overseas, even if the healthcare provider is in Australia.

When you return

If you become unwell:

• before your trip home – see a doctor
• on your way home – tell your flight or vessel crew or visit your vessel’s medical centre
• while in the airport or seaport – tell a biosecurity officer 
• in the weeks after you return home – see a doctor and tell them where you travelled.

Find out what symptoms to watch out for when you return.

If you are concerned about a disease, talk to a doctor or contact your state or territory health department.

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