Australia is opening its border to international travel. Many of us eagerly waiting for this for a long time now. However you should ask yourself ‘is it safe to travel now? And as much as you are excited and planning for a vacation or a visit to friends and family overseas, It is important that you do a proper research before any international travel.
It will enable you to know exactly what to expect and be fully prepared when you arrive at your destination country. Different destinations around the world can pose different health risks to travellers. One thing to keep in mind is that We are not fully out of pandemic yet, many countries are still experiencing sudden mass outbreaks and a new variant of COVID-19 can make things worst.
To reduce health risks and spread of the virus a level of vaccination is required when travelling overseas. Australian citizens and permanent residents must have proof of vaccination to travelling overseas. and depending your country of origin and travel history, you may need to provide proof of appropriate vaccination in order to enter certain countries. If you are vaccinated in Australia you can obtain an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate (ICVC) from the MyGov portal.
When starting your research, a great first place to look is online.
To gain more knowledge on the desired destination country visit https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention's website provides vaccination information for 245 destinations and can be found at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list. While on this page, simply choose your travel destination from the drop down menu marked "For Travellers", press "Go", and information about specific vaccination recommendations and requirements will be provided to you. Though it's not required, you may also provide additional information to help personalise your results by checking off any of the listed options matching your particular circumstances.
Beyond the detailed information about any recommended or required vaccinations, you may also be presented with area-specific travel health notices that can help you further assess the health risks of traveling to your chosen destination. Any notices, if present, will be classified based on three levels of risk: Watch Level 1, where you should practice usual precautions, Alert Level 2, where you should practice advanced precautions, and Warning Level 3, where you should avoid any nonessential travel to the area.
Once you have a better understanding of your chosen destination vaccination requirements and recommendations, you should than consult your doctor. It's recommended that you visit your doctor four to six weeks prior to any international travel to discuss the possible health risks of traveling to your chosen destination and while there, receive any needed vaccinations. Be sure to also inquire about your proof of vaccination documentation if such documents will be required during your trip.
Because traveling to certain destinations may pose an increased health risk, it is important that you familiarise yourself with such risks and visit your family doctor prior to your departure. By visiting your family doctor, you can receive any recommended vaccinations and acquire any needed vaccination documentation. This will reduce your chances of becoming ill during your next trip or missing out on it altogether from being unable to provide the required proof of vaccination to authorities.
A negative COVID-19 test results is required to return to Australia even if you are fully vaccinated. Read Australian travel advice for the most up-to-date information on entry measures.
