Travelers should ensure their routine vaccines are up-to-date, including any necessary booster shots. Routine vaccines are given throughout a person's life and include influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT). Routine vaccines are highly recommended for people visiting China, particularly rural China. Although some of these diseases have been largely eradicated in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world where vaccines are not as readily available.
The CDC recommends that travelers traveling to China obtain the following vaccines: hepatitis A or immune globulin, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies and, for visitors going to rural farming areas, Japanese encephalitis. Hepatitis A and typhoid can be transmitted through food or water, so travelers are advised to drink bottled water and refrain from eating uncooked or undercooked food. Hepatitis B can be transmitted through blood or body fluids. The rabies vaccine is recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, particularly in rural areas.
Travelers visiting an area of China that is at risk for malaria should take an anti-malarial drug before traveling: atovaquone/proguanil or doxycycline for travel along the China-Burma border in the western part of Yunnan province; atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine for travel in Hainan and other parts of Yunnan province; or, for most other areas, chloroquine. In general, travelers visiting cities and popular tourist areas are not at risk for malaria. Halofantrine is a medicine widely used overseas to treat malaria. The CDC does not recommend taking Halofantrine because of the risk of heart-related side effects, including death.
Travelers should bring with them all prescription medicines that they take on a regular basis. They should carry these medicines in their carry-on luggage. Travelers may want to bring medicine for diarrhea, as they might not be accustomed to local cuisine. Parts of China have significant pollution and smog, and travelers with asthma or other breathing problems should bring their inhalers.
The CDC recommends that travelers bring iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water in case bottled water is not available. Travelers should also bring sunscreen, antibacterial hand wipes or hand sanitizers, bug spray and, if needed, mosquito nets.
Do not swim in any bodies of water except well-chlorinated swimming pools. Drink only bottled or boiled water, or beverages in unopened cans or bottles. Do not eat food purchased from street vendors unless you have reason to believe that the food is safe to eat. When eating at restaurants, make sure the food is fully cooked, and avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.
