Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ation, which is a series of three injections of rabies vaccine given over a month (on days 0,
7, and 21 or 28).
As to the quality of Chinese vaccinations, there is no need to be concerned. In the past
standards were admittedly questionable, but they have since greatly improved and the WHO
has now recognized Chinese vaccinations as being safe enough to export. Regardless, doc-
tors have little choice anyway, given that it is now illegal for them to prescribe imported
medications.
Despite being in a position to be a world leader in contraception, inspired by its one-child
policy, China seems instead to be in an appalling position. It's not a topic that is comfort-
ably spoken about, so people are commonly uneducated about safe sex practices. Conse-
quently, unwanted pregnancies and abortions are quite near to being the norm. It's certainly
not unusual for a girl in her twenties to have had four, five, or even six abortions. Despite
this, birth control pills are readily available in Beijing. It was once possible to buy these
over the counter at international pharmacies, but this has recently changed and you now
need to get a prescription from your doctor. Be prepared to pay big bucks, however, if you
shop here. A month's supply will possibly cost RMB250-300. Chinese pharmacies, such as
the Cachet chain, also supply contraceptive pills, often over the counter, and usually at half
the price. They may not always go by the same names, however. Dr. Saint Cyr also recom-
mends bringing a three-month supply from home with you to give yourself time to find an
appropriate replacement.
When it comes to infectious diseases, Beijing has its pros and cons. The weather for at least
half the year is too cold in Beijing to make malaria transmission likely (it requires an aver-
age daily temperature of 20°C/68°F), and compared to many other areas of the country out-
break occurrences are relatively low. SARS, a pneumonia-like disease that had an outbreak
in Beijing in 2003, is also rarely heard of these days. On the downside, Japanese encephal-
itis, rabies, and whooping cough are entrenched enough to be a continuing concern.
