Q:
I will be traveling to China in May for two weeks and will only be visiting major business cities. I am current on all of my vaccinations required for the US, but I was wondering what others I should get. I am interested in getting the Hepatitis A shot series, but know that I don't have enough time to get both. Will just getting one before I go do any good? I already have the Hepatitis B shots. Also, I need a WTO International health certificate?
A:
One dose of hepatitis A vaccine will protect you nicely for up to a year. A second dose at least six months after the first will give you long-lasting protection.
If you are up to date on all your routine immunizations including tetanus/diphtheria, measles and hepatitis B, and will be only in major cities in China, these are other issues you may want to consider:
Immunization against typhoid is recommended especially if you will be at all adventurous with your eating habits. There is an oral vaccine that lasts about five years. Some travelers to China also take a course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor with them in case they get a bad case of travelers' diarrhea.
You might consider getting a flu shot even if you got one in the fall. Flu season will hopefully have ended by May, but there have been outbreaks of bird flu in Asia this year and preventing some strains of flu may help avoid confusion with other respiratory diseases.
You can get typhoid and flu vaccines as well as prescriptions and other travel health information at the WWU travel clinic or other travel clinics in the area. For information about the WWU travel clinic call 650-6864.
~The Doc
