smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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The Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus has spread throughout the world.
On 11 June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its global pandemic alert level from phase 5 to phase 6. The move to phase 6 reflects that there has been widespread community transmission. In raising the level to phase 6, the WHO noted that, at this stage, the pandemic can be characterised globally as being moderate in severity and the overwhelming majority of patients have recovered.
The WHO provides useful information on its website for individuals and travellers.
Your travel plans could be disrupted due to public health measures introduced in response to the spread of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Travellers should be aware that governments will not compensate people for disruption to travel plans.
It is possible that countries may restrict or, in some cases, close border crossings in response to the spread of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
Some countries may impose isolation measures for those exhibiting influenza like symptoms and quarantine measures for travellers who have recently visited a country with confirmed cases of the virus. Regardless of their own state of health, including known prior infection with this virus, travellers may be subject to these public health measures if they have been travelling with or in close proximity to other travellers suspected of being infected. These measures may also be applied to transit passengers.
It is also possible that large numbers of passengers or entire flights or ships may be subject to quarantine, or prevented from disembarking, if authorities suspect that passengers infected with Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 are on board.
In some countries, health and quarantine officials have extensive powers to detain people suspected of having Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. A number of Australians have been temporarily quarantined overseas.
The Australian Government will provide consular assistance as required to travellers who are isolated or quarantined. However there are legal and practical limits to the assistance consular officers can provide. Consular officers will be unable to influence the length of quarantine periods or reduce time in quarantine. Countries have designated quarantine hotels/sites, which in some cases may have limited facilities and basic conditions. Consular officers cannot visit quarantine facilities or influence where quarantined travellers are housed. Family groups may be split while in quarantine. In some instances, children have been separated from their parents.
Some countries may introduce public health measures at the point of arrival, including handing out face masks to travellers.
Travellers may also be asked to declare their state of health at international points of departure, including airports and sea ports, prior to travel.
Local health authorities may suspend events that involve large numbers of people. Sporting or cultural events, religious celebrations and concerts may be cancelled. This may have a major impact on your travel plans. We advise you to monitor the media for events that may affect your travel.
Airlines may introduce measures concerning passengers showing influenza like symptoms with regard to boarding flights. We recommend you check your airline’s policy before arriving at the airport.
You should follow the instructions of local border control, law enforcement or health authorities. In some cases, failure to do so could result in fines or imprisonment.
For more information, contact the embassy or consulate of the country you plan to visit.
Before heading overseas:
You should also:
While you are travelling:
We advise that all travellers:
After you return:
If you are unwell with a respiratory illness (fever and cough) on your return to Australia and concerned about your symptoms you should seek medical advice by contacting your GP.
On 30 September 2009 the Australian Government introduced a Panvax H1N1 vaccine to protect Australians from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza. The vaccine is being provided free. The vaccinations are available from GP offices, vaccination clinics, hospitals and health centres.
There are no plans to deliver the national H1N1 vaccination program to Australian tourists and expatriates overseas. Anyone who is overseas and wishes to receive the vaccination will need to return to Australia. Alternatively vaccines may be available from local health providers in other countries. For more information go to www.healthemergency.gov.au.
Australian missions in the northern hemisphere are being provided with the Panvax H1N1 vaccine where a H1N1 vaccine is not locally available. The vaccine will only be available to Australian based staff, their dependents and locally-engaged staff. Australia’s missions overseas do not have stocks of the Panvax H1N1 vaccine to provide to Australian travellers or expatriates. You may wish to consider being vaccinated for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 before leaving Australia.
As a precautionary measure, Australia has for some years held a limited supply of the influenza antiviral medicine oseltamivir (Tamiflu) at all of its overseas missions. The medicine is intended primarily to protect emergency staff providing consular assistance and other essential services in the event of a widespread outbreak of pandemic influenza.
The holding of Tamiflu at Australian missions overseas is a prudent measure to ensure that Australian officials overseas will be able to maintain essential services to Australians. The limited influenza antiviral medicine supplies held at Australian missions overseas do not allow for provision to other Australians who may be in an affected area.
For more information on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, you can call the Commonwealth Health Hotline on 1802007 (if calling from outside Australia, toll free on +61 8 840 288 33) or go to www.healthemergency.gov.au. Current information on the global response to human cases of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and measures to avoid infection are also available on the WHO's Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 website.
If you require consular assistance overseas, contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. Contact details for the nearest Australian mission are also shown in the final section of the travel advisory for each country. Alternatively, you can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 from within Australia.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
