If you’re wanting to travel overseas, understanding what’s happening with COVID-19 in your chosen travel destination is important, especially if there’s a sudden outbreak and you’re unable to leave the country as planned.

Here are a few things to consider if you want to travel overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Make sure your vaccinations are up to date

By making sure that your COVID-19 vaccinations and other travel vaccinations are up to date before you leave, you’re minimising the risk of being sick overseas.

Visiting your doctor to ask what kind of travel vaccinations are recommended for your destination can give you peace of mind while also protecting your health.

See your doctor to find out what is right for you, as only your general practitioner can advise you on what vaccinations and preventative measures you should take.

However, the Department of Health¹ suggests that travellers who are heading overseas can vaccinate against:

• Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
• COVID-19
• Influenza (Flu)
• Rabies
• Measles
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Typhoid

Blooms The Chemist offers vaccinations for Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B to residents living in NSW.

We also offer vaccinations for Japanese Encephalitis in NSW, SA and VIC, but your eligibility for this vaccine depends on a number of factors. If you want to find out more, click the button below.

2. Take precautions while travelling

Before you go

There are a range of precautions you can take before you head overseas, including visiting your doctor to get up to date vaccinations and preparing a travel kit of common preventative medications and medical supplies.

Some of the things you might like to include in your travel kit include:

• An adequate supply of any usual medications you take
• A first aid kit
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant sprays
• Motion sickness prevention medication
• Altitude sickness tablets

Before you head overseas to your destination, make sure you get your International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate to show proof of your vaccinations internationally. It’s been developed to meet international travel standards and is recognised in a range of countries.

Learn more about the certificate here.

While you’re travelling

Mask wearing on international flights to and from Australia is no longer mandatory, but is strongly recommended to reduce your personal risk of getting and spreading COVID-19.

Once you’re travelling, following local health advice while taking hygiene steps, including wearing a mask, physical distancing and washing your hands frequently is important.

Check your travel destination’s local health orders before arriving to make sure if you have to quarantine or isolate upon arrival into the country.

Coming back from travelling

From the 5th of January 2023, travellers coming into Australia from China, Hong Kong and Macau will be required to take a COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to travel and must show evidence of a negative test result.

If you’re arriving from other destinations, you don’t need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. However, some countries may require a pre-departure test result before check-in onto your flight or ship.

Checking what’s required from the country you’re visiting can help save you time, money and disappointment.

3. Get travel insurance

Depending on where you’re travelling to, some countries require you to hold travel insurance as a condition of entering the country.

However, if you’re travelling and contract COVID-19, your travel insurance may not cover everything you need.

While many travel insurers are offering cover for COVID-19, each insurer offers something different. Some policies may only cover medical and repatriation costs if you get COVID-19 while travelling, whereas others provide cover for cancellation costs of your accommodation.

Doing your research and finding a comprehensive insurance policy that covers what you feel you need from your policy can offer you peace of mind while travelling.

Smart Traveller, an Australian Government website, has the information you need to understand what type of travel insurance is best for you and your needs.

Not vaccinated? At Blooms The Chemist, we offer Pfizer, Novavax and Moderna. If you’d like to get vaccinated, please make a booking at your local pharmacy here.

References

¹Smart Traveller, Vaccinations and preventative health, accessed 6 January 2023.