Health and medical care

Recommended vaccinations

Confirm with your travel doctor 4–6 weeks before departure. Standard recommendations for most travellers: - **Hep A**, **Hep B** — basic. - **Typhoid** — for travellers eating outside upmarket hotels/restaurants. - **Tetanus / diphtheria** booster. - **Influenza** — annually. - **Japanese encephalitis** — if travelling rural southwest in summer for >30 days. - **Rabies** — pre-exposure if visiting remote areas with limited access to post-exposure care.

Yellow fever is required only if arriving from a country with active yellow fever transmission.

Travel insurance

Get travel insurance with medical evacuation. Public hospital costs are low (¥200–¥500 for an outpatient visit), but international clinics in Beijing and Shanghai charge USD-equivalent rates. Medical evacuation from rural areas to Beijing or Shanghai can be expensive without insurance.

Healthcare quality

Tier-1 cities have international clinics (United Family Healthcare, Parkway Health, Beijing International SOS) with English-speaking doctors and Western-trained staff. Public hospitals (Class A and Class A-A graded) handle complex cases at lower cost; expect language barriers and queues.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are common in cities. Most basic medications (paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines, antacids) are available without prescription, often as Chinese-brand equivalents. Bring any prescription medication you depend on.

Tap water

Do NOT drink tap water in mainland China. Boiled tap water is safe (this is the local norm — drinking hot water is universal). Bottled water is widely available and cheap (¥2–¥5).

Air quality

Variable by city and by season. Beijing winter mornings can hit AQI 200+. Install an AQI app. If AQI exceeds 150 and you have respiratory sensitivity, an N95-style mask helps. If AQI exceeds 250, stay indoors with an air purifier.

Common ailments

• Traveller's stomach: common in week one. Usually self-resolves in 24–48 hours. Loperamide for symptom control. Rehydration (oral rehydration salts) is more important than medication.
• Respiratory infections: more common than at home if AQI is high.
• Heat illness: real in southern summer. Carry water; rest at midday.
• Altitude: serious in Lhasa (3,656m), Lijiang (2,400m), Xining (2,275m). See the dedicated Tibet pages.