Tips for protecting your health on your Australian adventure
A whopping 10 million overseas visitors will touch down in Australia this year to embark on a trip of a lifetime. While the excitement of visiting the Sydney Opera House and sunning yourself on Bondi Beach are likely to consume your mind in the lead up to your trip, it’s important that you don’t forget about your health. After all, when you’re in a brand new country, healthcare options can vary considerably to those back home.
Get vaccinated
One of the best ways to protect your health before you land in Australia is prevention. Luckily, Australia isn’t considered a high-risk country; however, there are still some vaccinations you need to have before flying. Your routine vaccinations for MMR, Diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, chickenpox, polio, pneumococcal, and influenza should be up to date. You’ll also need to be vaccinated against yellow fever and be able to prove this to Australian officials at the airport. For optimum protection, it’s also recommended that you get vaccinated against:
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Rabies, and;
- Mosquito-borne diseases
Insure your health
The NSW Department of Health reports that 16,000 visitors fall ill and require hospital care while in Australia each year. As a result, $30 million of unrecoverable medical expenses are incurred annually. This has led officials to propose that health care insurance is made mandatory for all overseas visitors. By taking out health insurance, you ensure that your health is looked after no matter where in the country you are. The 2019 changes to health insurance made coverage in Australia even simpler, with categories being standardized and product tiers being introduced – so there’s really no excuse not to take out any coverage!
Stay safe
During summer Australia is one of the closest countries to the sun and this means that you can be exposed to up to 15% more UV rays than you would elsewhere in the world. This kind of heat exposure can result in heat exhaustion, sunburn, and dehydration, which will ruin your trip and hinder your health. You should, therefore, be vigilant in the sun by wearing sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30, wear a sun hat, drink plenty of water, and avoid sightseeing during the middle of the day when the sun is at its hottest.
Australia is visited by millions of tourists each year, yet many of them turn up without adequate health protection. To ensure that your long-awaited trip is memorable for all the right reasons, you should always check you’ve had the recommended vaccinations, take out health insurance, and take precautions to say happy and healthy in the sun.
