Denmark
Travel Destination – Denmark
Denmark is a popular European destination famous for its architecture, sustainable lifestyle, and thriving food scene. Visitors often explore Copenhagen’s colourful harbour district, cycle through vibrant urban neighbourhoods, visit Viking heritage sites, or discover picturesque islands and coastal villages across the country.
The country has a highly developed healthcare system, excellent sanitation standards, and strong public health infrastructure. Despite this, travellers may still encounter some infectious diseases that circulate internationally and other travel health risks associated with outdoor activities and long-distance travel. Preparing for your trip in advance helps ensure a safe and healthy visit.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Denmark, arranging a consultation with a travel health doctor is recommended. A travel health appointment allows your doctor to ensure routine immunisations are up to date, prescribe prescription medications if necessary, and provide travel health advice. A doctor can discuss health considerations relevant to your itinerary, whether you plan to explore historic cities, cycle through rural landscapes, visit coastal regions, or spend time hiking or camping in Denmark’s forests and national parks.
Ideally, travellers should schedule a consultation around six to eight weeks before departure. This allows time for any recommended vaccinations to take effect and for multi-dose vaccines if needed. However, even if your departure date is approaching soon, a last-minute appointment can still provide valuable health advice and ensure essential vaccinations are up to date before travel. Travellers should also consider comprehensive travel insurance that covers overseas medical care, as well as potential evacuation if required.
Insect avoidance
In parts of Denmark, ticks and mosquitoes can occasionally transmit infections, particularly in forested or grassy areas during warmer months. Tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis are present in some regions of Northern Europe, and exposure risk increases during outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or cycling.
To reduce the chance of insect bites, travellers should wear long-sleeved clothing shirts and closed-toe shoes when walking through wooded or grassy areas. Applying insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin provides additional protection. Clothing treated with permethrin can help reduce tick attachment. After spending time outdoors, travellers should check their skin and clothing carefully for ticks and remove any promptly.
Food and water hygiene
Danish cuisine features fresh seafood, rye breads, pastries, and the famous open-faced sandwiches. Food safety standards in Denmark are generally very high, and tap water is safe to drink throughout the country. However, travellers may still occasionally develop gastrointestinal illness, particularly when eating unfamiliar foods, visiting busy restaurants, or during large gatherings and events.
Maintaining good hand hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to prevent gastroenteritis. Wash hands with soap and water before eating or preparing food, or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when handwashing facilities are unavailable. To reduce the risk of illness, choose meals that are freshly prepared and served hot, and be cautious with buffet-style foods that 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 Denmark?
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through airborne respiratory droplets. Symptoms usually include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a widespread rash. The virus spreads easily when infected people cough, sneeze, or breathe in close proximity to others. Although vaccination programs have reduced cases in many countries, outbreaks still occur across Europe, including Denmark. Travellers born during or after 1966 should ensure they 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 illness that spreads mainly through droplets produced when infected people cough, sneeze, or speak. Symptoms commonly include sudden fever, fatigue, muscle aches, cough, headache, and sore throat. Seasonal influenza circulates annually in Denmark, usually peaking during the Northern Hemisphere winter. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and older, particularly older adults, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions.
COVID-19
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COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and spread primarily through airborne particles and close contact. Symptoms may include fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell. The virus continues to circulate worldwide, including in Denmark. Travellers should ensure they are up to date with COVID-19 vaccination, including six-monthly booster doses for adults aged 75 years and over and annual boosters for adults aged 65 to 74 years. Additional boosters may be recommended for people with certain underlying health conditions.
Routine vaccinations
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Routine immunisations remain an important part of travel health preparation for Denmark. Before departure, travellers should ensure their vaccinations are current according to the Australian National Immunisation Program. Protection against diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, and rubella helps prevent infections that continue to circulate internationally. A travel health consultation can confirm whether booster doses are required, particularly for travellers who have not received routine vaccinations in many years. Vaccination against hepatitis B may also be recommended depending on risk factors and travel plans.
Denmark
Other health risks in Denmark
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis, often called travellers’ diarrhoea, can occur in Denmark despite the country’s high food safety standards. Viral infections such as norovirus are among the most common causes and may spread in crowded environments including restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, and tourist attractions. Bacterial gastroenteritis can be caused by ingestion of contaminated food.
Symptoms often include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and sometimes fever, usually developing within one to three days of exposure. Treatment involves maintaining adequate hydration, ideally with oral rehydration solutions to replenish fluid and electrolytes. Most cases are mild and resolve within several days, however seek medical attention if symptoms are severe, persistent, or associated with dehydration.
Lyme disease
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Lyme disease can be transmitted in Denmark through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks found in wooded and grassy environments. Travellers are most at risk during outdoor activities in rural areas, particularly during spring and summer.
Early symptoms can include fatigue, fever, headache, and a slowly expanding circular rash in some individuals. If untreated, lyme disease can affect the joints, nervous system, and heart. Prevent lyme disease by reducing the risk of tick bites with insect repellent, protective clothing, and tick checks after outdoor activities. Early medical attention is important for diagnosis and highly effective antibiotic treatment.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Although Denmark is considered relatively safe for international travellers, theft and pickpocketing can still occur in busy tourist areas, particularly in central Copenhagen and on crowded public transport. Travellers should remain aware of their surroundings, secure valuables carefully, and avoid displaying expensive items in crowded locations. Visitors should avoid protests and follow local authorities’ advice.
Refer to the Australian Government’s website Smartraveller before and during travel to Denmark for up to date safety precautions.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Travelling from Australia to Denmark typically involves long-haul flights that reduce movement, slow blood flow, and therefore increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is a condition where clots form in the deep veins, most commonly in the legs.
To reduce risk during long flights, travellers should move regularly, stretch their legs, perform simple exercises while seated, and remain well hydrated. Individuals with additional risk factors should seek medical advice before travelling, and may be advised to wear below-knee compression stockings.