Health Requirements For China

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For travel to China it is essential that you are up to date with vaccinations for Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. There is a risk of Malaria in some parts of Yunnan Province and you may need to take antimalaria precautions. However as we are not trained to give specific health advice, we strongly recommend that you visit your GP surgery or a travel clinic for professional advice in advance of your travel date. Some immunisations need to be given well in advance of departure, so seek advice at least 2 months before you depart. For further information MASTA operate travel clinics across the UK and provide a free travel health brief on their website masta-travel-health.com, or get in touch with The Hospital for Tropical Diseases via their website www.thehtd.org.

Please note if you are arriving from an area in the Yellow Fever zone (currently only South American & African countries) you will be required to show that you have been inoculated against the disease.

Altitude sickness
Some parts of China are at high altitude, especially Yunnan Province and Tibet. Care must be taken to avoid the ill effects of being at altitude, including Acute Mountain Sickness, a potentially life-threatening condition. If you are going to a high altitude location it is essential that you consult with your doctor before travelling, especially if you have a known heart or respiratory condition. To reduce the effects of altitude sickness, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol and get plenty of rest in the first 48 hours of being at altitude to allow for your body to acclimatise. There are prescription tablets available called Acetazolamide (Diamox), which is a weak diuretic that increases ventilation of the lungs. These tablets are usually taken for one or two days before highest altitude is reached and continued for a further three days.

For competitively priced Acetazolamide (altitude sickness) and Malarone (malaria protection) the online pharmacy travelpharm.com provide consultations. However we recommend that you speak to your GP before making any such purchases.