Vacation Vaccinations: Preparing for Your Next Tropical Trip
It’s well into July, which means you are either about to go on holiday, are already there, or have just returned to Beijing. Some of you may not even be leaving at all – saving up your pennies and leave days for the off-peak travel season. Whatever stage of the summer break you’re in, you’re probably planning your next getaway, dreaming of beaches and smog-free skies.
Be an early bird
One of the first things you should do after you’ve decided on the location of your next tropical vacation is to look into which vaccines you may need. “Vaccines take at least two weeks to work,” cautions Dr. Evelyn Fang, Director of the Center for Primary Care, Practice, and Education at Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU). “For ones that require series of shots, some of them you have to finish six months in advance if you want to get the full protection. There are some accelerated programs, but it’s not as good as having the full schedule, so people should at least plan six months in advance.”
When it comes to getting your malaria medication, you should try to plan as far in advance as your next trip home. “The types of medication available in China are more limited than they have elsewhere,” cautions Dr. Fang. “The ones that we have, for example, you still have to take a month of medication afterward, versus the Malerone that you can get in Hong Kong. You only have to take it for a week after, and the side-effects are also different. So, if you prepare ahead of time you may be able to have other options.”
Get your facts straight
The first step in your vaccine-planning journey should be to consult an up-to-date medical source that can give destination-specific medical advice. Dr. Fang recommends visiting the website CDC.gov – a great resource for tourists who want information about travel safety in different countries. The website will give you a list of vaccines to get, as well as updates about the most recent global health concerns like the Zika virus.
If you’re unsure about all of this stuff, and would rather speak to someone in person about a more personalized and comprehensive medical plan for your upcoming trip, schedule an appointment with your doctor and go from there. They can help you find all the most up-to-date advice about your specific needs.
Pencil it in
Once you know the names of the vaccines you want, you can call the BJU service center at 4008-919191 to schedule an appointment to get the shots. “All the vaccinations that are available in China, we can give here – except for yellow fever,” says Dr. Fang. If the CDC recommends that travelers to your destination get a yellow fever shot (and in some places in Africa, you will be asked to show proof of your yellow fever vaccination before you can clear customs), we can refer patients to a local hospital that offers the vaccine.
“It’s always good to plan ahead because just because we offer something, doesn’t mean we always have it [in stock]. So for example rabies vaccines, sometimes we’ll run out,” warns Dr. Fang. You should also be aware that some vaccines can only be administered at select clinics. For example, Dr. Fang explains that “not all clinics are licensed to give the rabies shot – and not all of our clinics have vaccine licenses. Each one of them is licensed separately.” Make your plans well in advance to ensure that you can go to the right clinic, and they have what you need in stock.
Go the extra mile
Dr. Fang also cautions that, while vaccines are an important part of your travel health and safety preparations, it’s also a good idea to be aware of other issues that can affect travelers. “The most common things are actually the common cold, diarrhea, and trauma,” she says. For trauma, all you can do is try to be careful and vigilant when you’re out on your adventures. Use bike helmets and seatbelts. If seatbelts are not available, keep in mind that the seat behind the driver is the safest and the passenger seat is the most dangerous. For diarrhea and colds, she advises washing your hands often and doing your best to only eat food that you know is clean.
When it comes to staying hydrated, she recommends drinking carbonated drinks if you don’t trust the drinking water in your destination. “During the carbonation process, they wind up killing the bacteria,” she says. She further explains that carbonated beverages are very difficult to tamper with, and so are even safer to drink in that sense. “Once you open a carbonated drink, what happens? It goes flat. So if it’s a flat carbonated drink, don’t drink it – because somebody opened it and let the air out, which means you don’t know what else went in.” She recommends clear drinks like Fanta and 7-Up over caffeinated dark colas, which have a dehydrating effect.
Dr. Evelyn Fang is an American board-certified Family and Internal Medicine physician at Beijing United Family Hospital. To make an appointment with her, call our service center at 4008-919191.
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