Vaccine question

Question

Hi, we plan to be in Beijing, Xian, zhangjiajie, Guilin, Yangzhou and Hong Kong. Recommended vaccines on various websites include Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis. Are these truly needed for visiting these areas? They are pretty expensive.

Thanks.

Answer

When planning travel to cities such as Beijing, Xi’an, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Yangzhou, and Hong Kong, the necessity of certain vaccines depends on your activities, duration of stay, and personal health risk factors.

For general travelers visiting urban areas, standard routine vaccines (MMR, Tdap, polio, hepatitis A, influenza) are usually sufficient. The additional vaccines mentioned—Typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis—are generally recommended for specific circumstances:

Typhoid: This is typically advised for travelers who will eat or drink outside of major restaurants, especially in rural areas or street food markets. For urban travel in major cities like Beijing, Xi’an, and Hong Kong, risk is lower but not zero.
Japanese Encephalitis (JE): This is primarily a concern for extended stays in rural or agricultural areas, or if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors at dusk or night in areas where JE is known to be present. For short city visits, the risk is minimal.

In summary:

If your travel is mainly urban, short-term, and involves staying in hotels and eating in established restaurants, these additional vaccines are optional rather than mandatory.
If you plan to visit rural areas, forests (like around Zhangjiajie), or spend a lot of time outdoors, these vaccines offer added protection and may be worth the cost.
Always consult a travel medicine specialist, as they can provide personalized advice based on your health and itinerary.

Practical tip: Good hygiene, drinking bottled water, avoiding raw food, and using insect repellent in rural areas will reduce your risk significantly.

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