Vaccinations
| Special Precautions | |
|---|---|
| Diphtheria | Yes |
| Hepatitis A | Yes |
| Malaria | Sometimes |
| Rabies | Yes |
| Tetanus | Yes |
| Typhoid | Yes |
| Yellow Fever | No* |
|
Inoculation regulations can change at short notice. Please take medical advice in the case of doubt. Where 'Sometimes' appears in the table above, precautions may be
required, depending on the season and region visited.
|
* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers arriving from infected areas.
Food and Drink
Outside main centres, all water used for drinking, brushing teeth or freezing should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Pork, salad, scallops, snails and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other Risks
Vaccinations against tuberculosis and Japanese encephalitis are sometimes advised. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is endemic in the central Yangtze river basin. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Hepatitis E is prevalent in northeastern and northwestern China and hepatitis B is highly endemic. Sporadic outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) have resulted in a small number of human deaths. Rabies is present. If bitten, medical advice should be sought immediately. There are occasional outbreaks of dengue fever.
Health Care
Medical costs are low. Many medicines common to Western countries are unavailable in China. Medical facilities in international hospitals are excellent. There are many traditional forms of medicine used in China, the most notable being acupuncture. Medical insurance is strongly advised.