Vaccines You Should Take Before Visiting China

China is a large country with several climatic variations. If you have a trip to China, it is necessary to update your routine vaccinations. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that you should visit a doctor who is a specialist in travel medicine.

According to the CDC, it is best to visit a doctor at least four to six weeks before you leave your country. For the reason that if you are in need of taking vaccines or any other medicines, early appointment with your doctor will not only provide you the time for vaccines to take effect but also it will allow time to start taking medicines to prevent any other infectious disease.

Vaccines needed for China

According to CDC, the recommendations for vaccine usually depend on the best available information on risk level. It is necessary for you to know that at any time, the risk level for vaccine-preventable diseases can alter. Although, China is not risk zone for Yellow Fever, but the Chinese government requires a proof of vaccination for Yellow Fever. However, this proof of vaccination requires only when you are transiting through a country that is in the high-risk area for yellow fever.

Routine Vaccinations

If you are up-to-date with your routine vaccines, it is not recommended. However, if you are not, a trip to China will require you to update your routine vaccinations. The routine immunizations include the vaccine of MMR (measles/ mumps/ rubella), the vaccine of DPT (diphtheria/ pertussis/ tetanus), Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, Pneumonia vaccine, Influenza vaccine, etc.

Hepatitis A

The Hepatitis A vaccine is highly recommended for all itinerants who are over one year of age. You need to know that Hepatitis A is a viral infection and it might attack you through the food or water you intake, if you move to a high or intermediate risk area.

Hepatitis B

The Hepatitis B vaccine is also recommended for all itinerants moving to China. It is necessary for you to know that Hepatitis B is endemic in China and it usually spread through blood or body fluids such as vaginal fluid and semen. It might also affect you, if you are exposed to local medical treatment for blood transfusion. The CDC recommends that you should take extra protection (e.g. condoms), whenever you want to build a sexual relationship with a local people.

Typhoid

According to CDC, the recommendation for Typhoid vaccine may be optional, if you are on a short trip to China and maintain a healthy diet. This vaccine is especially recommended, if you have to visit rural areas or need to take food or water from outside a reputed restaurant or reputed hotels.

Polio

The Polio vaccine is recommended for those adults who have only taken a primary series in their lifetime with either OPV (oral polio vaccine) or IPV (inactivated polio vaccine). If you are one of them, you will need one single booster dose with IPV for the lifetime.

Japanese Encephalitis

As like typhoid vaccine, this vaccine is recommended for all itinerants who will move to the rural areas. It is especially recommended for children and adults who need to stay in China for more than three months.

Rabies

This vaccine is usually recommended only when you need to stay in China for a long-term and in rural areas, along with activities like camping, hiking or bicycling. You need to know that rabies usually spread through animal bites. For this reason, rabies vaccine is also recommended for those travelers who will be in contact with animals, especially cats, dogs or bats.

Vaccines Recommended for China (A Quick Chart)