Visiting China soon? Then you’d best get prepared for a new environment! This post goes over some China travel health precautions to help you make sure you’re perfectly prepared for your visit.
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Please be aware that this post isn’t perfect or all-encompassing. But as I’ve been living in China for 5 years, I definitely know about the health precautions I have to take on the regular, and thought they may help you, too!
Even still, it’s always best to do your own research, and to talk with your healthcare provider about specific destinations you plan to visit before you hit the road.
Alright, let’s jump in!
#1 China Travel Health Precaution: Awareness of Local Diseases
This isn’t an issue that’s specific to China alone. Every country has its own risk factors in terms of diseases related to their specific climates and location.
During two of the summers for which I was just touring in China, there were a few cases of something out of the blue (one year it was bubonic plague and another year it was bird flu).
Thankfully, I was never near the cases. Both times, the issue was quickly addressed with minimal spread of the diseases. There was just some extra screening at US customs to make sure I hadn’t been near the affected areas.
Even still, this is why it’s a good idea to top up vaccines before traveling. You just never know!
Check with your doctor beforehand about vaccinations that you should do or update. Tell them specifically which country you’re traveling to, so they can help you fully prepare. This is a must, in my opinion.
Another important step: check official government websites for any recent travel advisories related to diseases.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is one of the largest health precautions for China travel, and can cause many long-term health issues. The more time you spend in a polluted area, the higher your risks of developing some of these issues.
Especially if you are a person who suffers from respiratory issues (such as asthma), pollution can aggravate your condition and trigger some unwanted side affects.
If you’re living in China, I’ll write a post about how to deal with air pollution long-term as an expat in China, and link it here later.
For tourists, there are two main solutions for air pollution: first, check if your hotel has an air purifying system installed. Most hotels in big cities do, so you’ll be breathing air while inside.
The second solution: buy some N95 face masks. Note that they MUST be able to filter pm 2.5 particles (the smallest and most harmful kind of pollution particles), otherwise they’re useless.
You can get these masks in your home country, or can even buy them from pretty much any pharmacy here in China after arrival! It’s obnoxious to wear them (especially in the summer), but worth it for your health.
Water Safety
Yep…that’s the nozzle from my kitchen faucet! Gross, I know. I took this photo while installing our water filter.
That being said: do NOT drink the water!! Even if you boil it! Some of the pollutants in the water cannot be boiled out. Boiling kills bacteria and viruses in the water, but it doesn’t remove chemicals.
Only drink bottled water, or water from a dispenser in a cafeteria or such, as these should have filters. If you go to smaller restaurants, avoid ordering water, and stick with teas, juices, or sodas.
If possible, avoid brushing your teeth with the water, and use bottled water for this as well. I have water filters on the sinks in my bathroom now, so I can brush my teeth without worry. But as a traveler, stick with bottled.
Raw Fruits/Vegetables
This isn’t just a health precaution for China travel, but it’s also a general rule (especially for Asia): don’t eat raw fruits or veggies without washing them (or peeling them) yourself first!
Obviously, this won’t apply if you order a salad or something similar at a restaurant. But if you buy fruits from a street vendor so that you have something to munch on as you walk, wash it first!!
Especially for street vendors, it’s not guaranteed that they will follow food safety guidelines while preparing their foods. The last thing you want while traveling is some kind of stomach bug.
Street Food Vendors
On the note of street vendors…honestly, street food is one of my favorite parts of traveling. I love the smells, watching my food get cooked up…all of it. But food safety is another top health precaution to take in China.
As with fruits/veggies, street food vendors often do not follow food safety guidelines. I’ve heard horror stories of some vendors reusing the same cooking oil for DAYS (and the oil being practically black from use).
Street food can be SO delicious, but it’s also one of the biggest risks for stomach bugs or food poisoning.
My advice if you HAVE to experience street food: go to the carts that have a line of local people. It’s not uncommon for folks to have their favorite/trusted neighborhood street food vendor.
And my second piece of advice: bring some kind of antacid tablets or anti-diarrhea pills.
I honestly NEVER travel without anti-diarrhea pills each as is. But these backups let me get my favorite oily street-side snacks, without worrying too much about the after-affects.
sanitation
Yep, we were doing face masks here before it was cool! Not for the pandemic, but for pollution and sanitation.
Sanitation is another big area for health precautions while traveling China. There are a few cultural differences in China in regards to sanitation that I just want to mention.
Spitting is totally OK here. Especially elderly people will snort up a spitball loud and proud, and drop it wherever they’re walking. You’ll see spitballs on the ground pretty much anywhere.
Due to outside pollutants, folks in China tend not to wear their shoes inside. And I would recommend doing this while here. It’s one of the quickest and SUPER effective China travel health precautions to take.
Your hotel will provide slippers, so leave your street-shoes at the door, and keep your room and bed clean.
Many public bathrooms provide toilet paper, but many don’t. And soap/hand dryers are VERY uncommon here.
Bring your own hand sanitizer, and ALWAYS keep a pack of tissues on you, because it’s not a guarantee that the bathrooms here will have paper for you to use.
So there you have it: a list covering the biggest China travel health precautions. As I am an expat in China, this list is based off of my experiences. If you think I’ve missed something, please let me know in the comments!
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