Czechia
Travel Destination – Czechia
Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, offers travellers a rich blend of history, architecture and natural beauty. From Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge to the spa town of Karlovy Vary and the dramatic sandstone formations of Bohemian Switzerland National Park, the country combines cultural sophistication with accessible outdoor adventure.
Czechia has a highly developed healthcare system, and strong standards of food safety, sanitation and public health. However, as with any international destination, travellers face exposure to infectious diseases circulating in Europe, seasonal illnesses, and health risks associated with outdoor activities. Careful pre-travel planning helps ensure a smooth and healthy journey.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Czechia, arranging a travel health consultation is recommended. A travel doctor can review your immunisation history and ensure routine vaccinations are current. Your doctor can provide personalised health advice based on your travel plans, whether you plan to explore historic cities, travel between regions, attend large cultural events, or spend time in national parks.
Ideally, schedule your appointment around six to eight weeks before departure to allow sufficient time for any recommended vaccines. Even if your departure date is approaching quickly, a last-minute consultation can still provide useful advice and ensure important immunisations are up to date.
Travellers should also ensure they carry adequate travel insurance covering medical treatment and potential evacuation, and carry essential medications in their original packaging.
Insect avoidance
Ticks are common in forested and grassy areas in Czechia. They can transmit infections such as lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. Travellers who spend time outdoors during warmer months, particularly in rural or wooded areas, may be exposed to ticks.
To minimise the risk of bites, wear long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and closed footwear when walking through vegetation or hiking trails. Applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin can help prevent bites. Clothing treated with permethrin provides additional protection against ticks. After outdoor activities, check your body carefully for ticks and remove any promptly.
Food and water hygiene
Czech cuisine is hearty and flavourful, featuring traditional dishes such as roast meats, dumplings, soups, and pastries. Food safety standards in Czechia are generally high, and tap water is safe to drink in most areas. Nevertheless, travellers may still experience gastrointestinal illness, particularly when eating unfamiliar foods or visiting busy tourist venues.
Maintaining good hand hygiene is an important preventative measure. Wash hands with soap and water before eating or preparing food, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when handwashing facilities are unavailable. Choose meals that are freshly prepared and served hot, and take care with buffet-style dining where food may sit at room temperature for extended periods.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Czechia?
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious viral infection spread through airborne respiratory droplets. Symptoms usually include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a characteristic rash that spreads across the body. The virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes, and can remain in the air for some time. Outbreaks continue to occur across parts of Europe, including Central Europe. Travellers born during or after 1966 should have received two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) before travelling overseas.
Influenza
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Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory infection that spreads easily between people through droplets produced when coughing, sneezing or talking. Symptoms commonly include sudden fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, cough and sore throat. The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the nose, mouth or eyes. Seasonal influenza typically peaks during the European winter months. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and older, particularly those at higher risk of complications such as older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic health conditions.
COVID-19
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COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that continues to circulate in Czechia. The virus is transmitted primarily through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks or breathes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, shortness of breath and loss of taste or smell.
Travellers should ensure they are up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations in line with the Australian Immunisation Handbook. This includes six-monthly booster doses for adults aged 75 years and over and annual boosters for adults aged 65 to 74 years, with additional doses recommended for some people with underlying medical conditions.
Routine vaccinations
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Routine immunisations remain an important part of travel health preparation. Before visiting Czechia, travellers should confirm their vaccinations are current. Protection against diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella helps prevent infections that continue to circulate internationally.
Vaccination recommendations may vary for travellers spending extended periods overseas, visiting remote areas, or engaging in higher-risk activities. Some travellers may be recommended vaccination for hepatitis B.
A travel health consultation allows a doctor to review vaccination records and recommend booster doses if necessary.
Czechia
Other health risks in Czechia
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis, often referred to as travellers’ diarrhoea, can occur in Czechia despite strong food safety standards. It can be caused by bacteria in contaminated food, or viruses in crowded environments.
Symptoms may include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and sometimes fever, usually developing within one to three days of exposure. Most cases are mild and resolve within a few days. Maintaining hydration is the most important treatment, ideally using oral rehydration solutions to replace fluid and electrolytes. Medical advice should be sought if symptoms are severe,
persistent, or accompanied by dehydration.
Lyme disease
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Lyme disease is present in Czechia and is transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks. Travellers are most at risk when spending time in forested or grassy areas during spring and summer.
Early symptoms may include fatigue, fever, headache and a slowly expanding circular rash in some individuals. If untreated, lyme disease can affect joints, the nervous system, and the heart. Prevent tick bites through protective clothing, insect repellent and thorough tick checks after outdoor activities. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment are highly effective in treating lyme disease.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Although Czechia is generally considered a safe destination for international travellers, petty crime can occur in busy tourist areas, including pickpocketing, bag snatching and theft. Travellers should remain aware of their surroundings, keep valuables secure and avoid displaying expensive items in crowded locations. Demonstrations and public gatherings occasionally occur and may disrupt travel plans. Visitors should avoid protests and follow the advice of local authorities.
Travellers should check the Australian Government’s Smartraveller website before departure and during travel for the latest safety updates.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Travelling from Australia to Europe involves long-haul flights that can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT occurs when reduced movement slows blood circulation, allowing blood clots to form in deep veins, usually in the legs.
To lower the risk during extended flights, travellers should move regularly, stretch their legs, perform leg exercises while seated, and remain well hydrated. Individuals with additional risk factors, such as a previous history of clotting disorders, pregnancy, or recent surgery, should seek medical advice before travelling. In some cases, wearing below-knee compression stockings may be recommended.