THE following are some important vaccinations that people living in China should consider.

Hepatitis B

If you are at risk of being exposed to blood (for example, healthcare workers), or may have sexual contact with carriers of the virus, you need to seriously consider being vaccinated. About 10 per cent of Chinese carry the hepatitis B virus, which is one of the most common of all infectious diseases.

Influenza

Influenza (flu) shots are recommended especially after the SARS epidemic as both diseases have some similar symptoms. Vaccination can greatly reduce your chances of getting sick or developing complications from flu. It is particularly important for children and senior citizens. As the flu vaccine is in much greater demand in autumn, doctors suggest to book one or two months ahead next year.

Rabies

Because of the increasing dog-owning population in Shanghai, human rabies, an extremely rare disease in North America and Western Europe, is a fairly regular occurrence. It is estimated that each year at least 50,000 people worldwide die from rabies and more than 10 million receive post-exposure vaccination against this disease. Children aged 5-15 years are at particular risk.

Shanghai has over 100,000 registered and immunized dogs but an estimated 800,000 to 1 million unlicensed dogs have not been immunized. One or two cases are reported each year in suburb areas of the city. The risk is quite severe in rural areas of China. Rabies is an invariably fatal viral disease caused by the bite of an infected animal, usually a dog. Any bite from a warm-blooded furry creature must be considered suspect, even if minor. The injury should be thoroughly washed and medical care should be sought immediately.

Japanese encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis is a rare viral illness transmitted by mosquitoes. It is found throughout Asia but is very rarely a problem in large cities. The mosquitoes pick the virus up from biting infected pigs or waterfowl and then pass the virus on when they bite humans. Individuals who plan to live or travel extensively in rural areas in Asia should consider this vaccine. The vaccine can cause some side effects ranging from minor fever and headache to severe allergic reaction in rare instances.

Other vaccines

Polio, typhoid, and hepatitis A vaccinations are commonly recommended, as is tetanus, which requires a booster shot every 10 years.

Most of the local hospitals with expatriate or VIP units will have access to most, if not all, of the vaccinations recommended above. (Star News)