Lunar New Year 2026: Travel advice

Celebrating Lunar New Year abroad? Plan ahead to enjoy a safe trip during this popular worldwide public holiday

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, the Spring Festival, Tết and Seollal, is celebrated in different ways in many countries and cultures throughout Asia as well as worldwide.

Celebrations officially start on 17 February 2026, with festivities lasting for several days and attracting big crowds, with large numbers of international visitors. When crowds of people gather in one place, infectious diseases like measles, colds, respiratory infections, influenza (flu) and pneumonia spread more easily and there is a higher chance of accidents or injuries occurring.

Respiratory infections worldwide rise during the winter season.  This is driven by a seasonal increase in respiratory infections and viruses and is usually reported every year.

Avian influenza (bird flu) is a virus in birds that spreads from infected birds to other animals and humans. While avian flu in humans is not common, it is reported worldwide, including in Asia, China and in Central, North and South America mainly in people with close contact with birds or other infected animals.

Reduce your risk of avian influenza by avoiding all contact with birds and animals. This includes wild animals or birds (dead or alive), cattle and domestic animals/birds and particularly 'wet markets' (live bird and animal markets) in Asia and the Far East.

See Avian influenza in China - Prevention advice for travellers for more information.

Advice for travellers

See also our General advice for travellers and Personal safety factsheet for information on protecting yourself from travel-related health hazards.

Before you travel

Check the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Foreign travel advice for the country you are visiting. This advice includes safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings for your destination.

Check health advice for your destination in our Country Information pages.

Arrange an appointment with your GP, practice nurse, pharmacist or travel clinic to make sure you are in-date for all recommended travel and routine UK vaccines, including COVID-19, flu and MMR/MMRV. This is especially important if you already have any health problems. 

Pregnant travellers and anyone planning pregnancy should also discuss their travel plans with their GP or midwife, as well as a travel health professional.

Do not travel if you are ill.

Remember to get appropriate travel insurance and check that your policy covers all your travel plans.

While you are away

Protect yourself against colds, flu and other respiratory infections by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. This is particularly important after taking public transport or spending time in public spaces.
• You should only use alcohol-based hand sanitisers (containing at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available. 
• Avoiding close contact with anyone who is ill.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, dispose of tissues appropriately (put all used tissues into a waste bin) and wash hands.
• Avoiding contact with birds and animals, including domestic animals and cattle (alive or dead).

Follow good food and water hygiene rules and avoid eating, drinking or handling undercooked or raw poultry, egg, or duck dishes or unpasteurised/raw milk and dairy products.

If visiting a country with a risk of insect spread illnesses, reduce your risk by wearing long sleeves and trousers, applying insect repellent regularly and follow insect and tick bite avoidance advice. 

50% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) based insect repellents are the most effective repellents available for all travellers and are also advised in pregnancy, breastfeeding and for children from two months of age.

Make sure you know how to access medical care at your destination and carry emergency contact information, including your travel insurance details.

When you return

Get urgent medical attention if you are unwell on your return and share your travel history with your health professional. If you develop fever and a cough within 14 days of travel, call your GP or NHS 111, especially if you have been in contact with birds or animals (alive or dead) during your travels.

Advice for health professionals

If you are advising UK residents planning to travel abroad to celebrate Lunar New Year, check our Country Information pages for destination-specific health advice and vaccine recommendations.

You can contact your local microbiology, virology or infectious diseases consultant for advice about returning travellers with fever/acute illness. 

More advice for health professionals is available from your local health protection team or the Imported Fever Service.

The UK Health Security Agency also provide advice for health professionals about how to investigate and  manage suspected Avian influenza cases: Avian influenza: guidance for managing human cases.