Sydney, like most parts of Australia, presents no real health risks
for foreign visitors. Tap water is good-most of the time, restaurants
and eating places are required by law to maintain a high standard of
food preparation, and the city is generally clean.
Smog is less of a
problem than with cities such as London, Hong Kong and Bangkok - but is
still quite high.
Exposure to the sun can be a problem for those
who are fair-skinned.
Those with little experience in swimming in
the surf should be cautious when swimming at Sydney's famous surf
beaches, Bondi and Manly, and should always swim between the warning
flags erected by lifeguards.
Medical costs in Australia are not
exhorbitant like in the United States and Europe, but travel insurance
is still recommended.
Australians are remarkably healthy considering that the majority of the
country lies in the tropics. Many Tropical diseases such as malaria
and yellow fever are unknown of.
Diseases of insanitation such as
cholera and typhoid are unheard of or yet to be recorded.
Your travel health depends on your preparation before travel and your
daily health care during travel and how you handle your medical
problems.
For hospitals and pharmacies in your local city please check under the
specific area.
Medicare
Australian visitors will be covered by their normal Medicare or private
health insurance schemes. Offices of most private schemes operate
within the major centres but there are no offices in the smaller
regional centres.
Overseas visitors whose travel insurance package does not have a
comprehensive health component, are urged to take out private health
insurance before they depart their home country. Medical treatment in
Australia can be very expensive and visitors are not covered by
Australia's national health insurance scheme, Medicare, unless they are
covered by a reciprocal health care agreement.
Visitors extending their stay in Australia must produce evidence of
health insurance. It is possible to obtain such insurance after arrival
in Australia.
