If you have swine flu, do not travel until after your symptoms have stopped. If you need to cancel your holiday and are going to claim on your travel insurance, keep all the original documentation you receive, including the label from your medication, as insurers will need it to validate your claim.
If you have swine flu, do not travel until after your symptoms have stopped.
If you are going on holiday, take the same precautions that you do when at home. Know where you can get medical advice if you or your family feel unwell and make sure you have over-the-counter medication for coughs and sneezes.
Further travel advice will depend on your destination.
If you are in England and think you may have swine flu, contact the National Pandemic Flu Service helpline on 0800 1 513 100 (textphone - 0800 1 513 200) or follow the link below.
If you are in Scotland and develop flu-like symptoms you should call NHS 24 on 08454 24 24 24.
If you are in Wales and develop flu-like symptoms you should call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47
If you are travelling to Europe, make sure you have your free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to any necessary medical treatment, including for swine flu, during a visit to another European Economic Area country.
You can get an EHIC application form from the Post Office, by calling 0845 606 2030 or by following the link below.
Whenever you go abroad, always check the latest travel advice from the Foreign Office.
If you are looking for advice on how swine flu, or influenza A (H1N1), could affect your travel plans, you should:
You can access Foreign Office travel advice by country by following the link below or you can telephone 0845 850 2829 for the same information. The telephone line is open 24 hours a day.
The Saudi government has issued swine flu advice for people considering the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages this year.
The elderly, pregnant women, the chronically ill and children are advised not to take part this year.
You will also need to prove that you have been vaccinated against seasonal flu before applying for a visa.
Swine flu advice for Hajj pilgrims (health and well-being section)
It is up to individual airlines to decide if they let a person with flu-like symptoms to fly. Several airlines are refusing to let people with symptoms of flu to travel.
If you are prevented from boarding a flight when trying to return home from abroad you can seek Consular advice from your nearest Diplomatic mission.
If you need Consular advice or assistance, call 020 7008 1500 (+44 20 7008 1500 from abroad). This line is open 24 hours a day.
Travel insurers who are members of the Association of British Insurers will accept the unique ID number generated by the National Flu Service, together with the label on your anti-flu drugs which states your name and date of issue, as proof of diagnosis to validate a travel insurance cancellation claim.
If you use the National Pandemic Flu Service to get anti-flu medication and need to make a travel insurance cancellation claim, make sure you keep all the original documentation you receive, including the label from their medication, as insurers will need it to validate the claim.
If you have recently visited one of the countries or areas where human cases of influenza have been identified, it is important for you to monitor your health closely for seven days after your visit to the affected area.
There is no need for you to isolate yourself from other people as long as you remain well.
If during this period you develop a feverish illness accompanied by:
call 0800 0514 142 (9am - 5pm) Monday to Friday
Textphone users/Text Relay service: 18001 0800 0514 142
UK flu information line - 0800 1 513 513 - (Automated) Daily
Make sure that you tell those from whom you are seeking advice about your recent travel to an area affected. Depending on your symptoms you may be advised that further investigations may be necessary.
For more information, see the questions and answers page on swine flu.
The Foreign Office has provided a dedicated free phone number for all British nationals overseas to call if they are concerned about the current swine flu outbreak 0044 207 928 1010. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest advice for British nationals overseas on the Foreign Office website.
Follow the link below for information on how to prepare your business for swine flu.
Health and well-being
