Health

On this page, you’ll find some general advice about how to be prepared to stay healthy while you travel. You should consult your doctor for advice about your specific circumstances.

Get ready to travel

Do your research

Before you travel anywhere, you should do some research to understand the local conditions and how they could affect your health.

Some things to look into:

• Standard of hygiene
• Sanitation
• Water quality
• Air quality
• Access to prescription medication
• Medical care facilities, including emergency care
• Vaccination requirements

The local health authorities should have information for travellers. Health New Zealand also has advice on keeping healthy while travelling.

Find out more on the Health New Zealand website.

Also, read:

• Our travel advice about your destination, which includes health information on the common diseases present in the country and if there are known outbreaks occurring (such as measures, dengue, zika, rabies), and the precautions you should take while there. 
• Medical tourism.

Talk to your doctor

Your doctor can give advice about your health and whether you should travel, especially if you:

• Are an older traveller
• Have a pre-existing condition
• Are immunocompromised
• Will be travelling while pregnant.

Your doctor can also advise on protecting yourself from other risks, like:

• Deep vein thrombosis from long-haul flights
• Insect-borne illnesses
• Food and water-borne illnesses
• Environmental risks, like altitude or temperature
• The right vaccinations you should have before you go.

Medication and supplies

When preparing for your travel, don’t forget to have plenty of essential medications and other supplies. Pack essential medication in your hand luggage in case your checked bag gets lost. Check whether you need to have a medical certificate to travel with your prescription medication.

Travel with a first aid kit that includes:

• Sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Painkillers
• Antiseptic cream
• Waterproof plasters.

Put your first aid kit in your checked bag, especially if you have sharp items such as scissors.

Travel insurance and ACC

Don’t travel without travel insurance. If you are sick or injured while travelling and you don’t have insurance, you will have to pay for your medical care. Buy travel insurance, and make sure it covers the activities you have planned, including if you plan to have any medical procedures.

Find out more on our travel insurance page and medical tourism page.

If you are injured overseas and need treatment after you return to New Zealand, it might be covered by Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). You may need to advise ACC within a certain timeframe of your accident or injury. ACC does not cover treatment overseas.

Find out more on the ACC website.

Staying healthy while away

Some things help you stay healthy while you are away:

• Consider wearing a well-fitting mask when you are in close contact with others – particularly in crowded indoor spaces.
• Wash hands frequently and dry thoroughly, especially before eating. It can be useful to carry hand sanitiser (at least 60% alcohol) in case you do not have access to soap, hot water and a clean towel.
• Do not share drinks or leave your drinks unsupervised.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Only drink bottled water, or water that you know has been treated, including to clean your teeth.
• Use ice made only from purified or disinfected water.
• Avoid high risk foods, such as undercooked meats, unpasteurised milk or cheese.
• Avoid raw vegetables and unpeeled fruit, unless you know these have been prepared safely, with clean water.
• If you are vomiting (throwing up) or have diarrhoea, or have been caring for someone who has these symptoms, dispose safely, or clean, all soiled items and regularly wash your hands.

Advice for specific conditions

Mental health

Taking a trip can be a great experience for your mental health, but it can also cause stress and anxiety and have other negative effects.

If you have any mental health conditions, talk to your doctor or relevant healthcare professionals before you go. Work with them to create a plan for how to keep yourself well and what to do if things go wrong. Share this plan with your whānau or the people you’re travelling with.

Your healthcare professional can write you a letter that explains your conditions, medications, and their own contact details.

Don’t forget to declare mental health conditions when you buy travel insurance to make sure all your conditions are covered by your insurance policy.

Disabilities

Travellers with disabilities will have extra things to consider when they go abroad, like accessibility.

Find our advice on the People with disabilities page.

Advice for specific infectious diseases

See the travel advice about your destination as this includes some common diseases present in the country, when a disease outbreak has occurred, and the precautions you should take while there.  Ensure your vaccinations are up to date before you go.  Read our advice on common infectious diseases.

Find out more:

• Read our travel advice for your destination
• Read our advice on common infectious diseases
• Read our advice about mosquito-borne illness
• Read Health New Zealand’s advice for keeping healthy when travelling
• See where current disease outbreaks are.

Medical Tourism

If you are thinking about travelling to another country for a medical procedure, it is important that you do your research before you go. Start by reading our advice on medical tourism.