Australia Pre-Departure Health

In your passport, write the names of anyone who should be contacted in case of a medical emergency, and list your allergies or medical conditions. Matching a prescription to an Australian equivalent isn’t always easy; if you take prescription drugs, carry up-to-date, legible prescriptions or a statement from your doctor with the medication’s trade name, manufacturer, chemical name, and dosage. While traveling, keep all medication with you in your carry-on. For tips on packing a basic first-aid kit and other essentials,

The Australian government recommends that travelers over two years of age have the following vaccines up to date: MMR (for measles, mumps, and rubella); DTaP or Td (for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis); IPV (for polio); Hib (for haemophilus influenza B); and HepB (for Hepatitis B). Flu shots are recommended for those visiting Australia between May and October. Vaccinations are not required unless you have visited a yellow fever-infected zone within six days prior to arrival. (See www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/communic/factsheets/yellow.htm for information.) For recommendations on immunizations and prophylaxis, consult your doctor or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US or the equivalent in your home country.

Insurance

Travel insurance includes four basic coverage areas: medical/health problems, property loss, trip cancellation/interruption, and emergency evacuation. Though regular insurance policies sometimes extend to travel-related accidents, you may consider purchasing separate travel insurance if the cost of potential trip cancellation, interruption, or emergency medical evacuation is greater than you can absorb. Prices for travel insurance purchased separately generally run about US$50 per week for full coverage, while trip cancellation/interruption may be purchased separately for US$3-5 per day depending on length of stay.

Medical insurance (especially university policies) often covers costs incurred abroad; check with your provider. US Medicare does not cover foreign travel. Canadian provincial health insurance plans increasingly do not cover foreign travel; check with the provincial Ministry of Health or Health Plan Headquarters for details. Australia provides limited Medicare service in cases of “immediately necessary treatment” for nationals of the following countries (within certain time limits, and not applicable to visitors on student visas): Finland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, and Sweden (see www.medicareaustralia.gov.au for details).

Homeowners’ insurance (or your family’s coverage) often covers theft during travel and loss of travel documents (passport, plane ticket, railpass, etc.) up to US$500. If you will be traveling with an electronic device (such as a computer or PDA) that is not covered by your homeowners’ insurance, you might consider purchasing a low-cost separate insurance policy. Safeware (☎1800 800 1492; www.safeware.com) specializes in covering computers and charges $90 for 90-day comprehensive international travel coverage up to $4000.

ISIC and ITIC provide basic insurance benefits to US cardholders, including US$100 per day of in-hospital sickness for up to 100 days and US$10,000 of accident-related medical insurance including $500 emergency dental coverage (see www.myisic.com for details). Cardholders have access to a toll-free 24hr. help line for medical, legal, and financial emergencies. American Express (☎+1-800-338-1670) grants most cardholders automatic collision and theft car rental insurance on rentals made with the card.

Insurance Providers

STA offers a range of plans to supplement your basic coverage. Other private insurance providers in the US and Canada include: Access America (☎+1-800-729-6021; www.accessamerica.com); Berkely Group (☎+1-800-797-4514; www.berkely.com); and CSA Travel Protection (☎+1-800-873-9855; www.csatravelprotection.com). Columbus Direct (☎+44 0870 033 9988; www.columbusdirect.co.uk) operates in the UK.

Useful Organizations And Publications

The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains an international travelers’ hotline and an informative website (☎+1-877-394-8747; www.cdc.gov/travel). Consult the appropriate government agency of your home country for consular information sheets on health, entry requirements, and other issues for various countries (see the listings in the box on Travel Advisories). For quick information on health and other travel warnings, call the Overseas Citizens Services (from outside N. America ☎+1-202-501-4444, from US +1-888-407-4747; line open M-F 8am-8pm EST), or contact a passport agency, embassy, or consulate abroad. For information on medical evacuation services and travel insurance firms, see the US government’s website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/abroad_health.html or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk). For general health information, contact the American Red Cross (☎+1-202-303-4498; www.redcross.org).