China Travel Vaccines: What You Actually Need

Beijing and the Great Wall, the skyline of Shanghai, the warriors at Xi’an, or the mountains and rice terraces of the south: China is a vast country, and what you need health-wise depends a lot on your route. We help West London travellers plan their China travel vaccines every week, from first-time tourists to business travellers and families visiting relatives. The reassuring headline is that most trips need only a short, affordable list.

At Ealing Travel Clinic on 30 Northfield Avenue, we tailor that list to your actual itinerary rather than handing over a generic sheet. A city-focused tour is a different picture from weeks in the rural south or a high-altitude trip to Tibet. A few vaccines are recommended for almost everyone, a few depend on where you go, and there is one piece of good news that surprises people: China no longer has malaria.

Here is what most travellers to China need, what depends on your trip, and the current things worth knowing before you go.

The vaccines almost everyone needs for China

Three vaccines form the foundation for nearly every trip to China, because they cover the risks that come from food, water and everyday travel.

Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water and is present across China, so it is recommended for all travellers, and especially for anyone visiting family or eating widely at local restaurants and street stalls. A single dose gives around 95% protection within two weeks, and a second dose six to twelve months later extends that to over twenty years. It is £45 per dose.

Typhoid is also food and water-borne and recommended for most travellers, particularly for longer trips, rural travel and those staying with family. It is a single dose at £30 and protects for three years.

The Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio booster is the third. It keeps your tetanus cover current, which matters anywhere minor wounds are possible, and most UK adults are due one every ten years. It is £30, and if you have had it within the last decade you are already covered.

Vaccines that depend on your itinerary

Beyond the core three, a few vaccines come down to where you are going, how long you are staying and what you plan to do.

Rabies deserves real attention for China, which is classed as a high-risk country for it. Dogs are the main source, and rabies immunoglobulin, the treatment needed after a higher-risk bite, is not reliably available outside major cities. Pre-exposure vaccination does not remove the need for urgent treatment after a bite, but it buys time and removes the need for that scarce immunoglobulin. We recommend considering it for longer stays, rural and cycling trips, children, and anyone spending time around animals. It is £90 per dose, £180 for the two-dose course, and there is more in our guide to the rabies vaccine for China.

Japanese encephalitis is a rural, seasonal risk spread by mosquitoes around rice paddies. In China it occurs in most provinces, with cases reported everywhere except Tibet, Xinjiang and Qinghai, mostly between June and October. It is not needed for a short city trip, but it is worth considering for rural travel, extended stays or summer visits to rice-growing regions. It is a two-dose course at £100 per dose (£200), with protection seven days after the second dose. See our guide to the Japanese encephalitis vaccine for China.

Hepatitis B is worth considering for longer stays, anyone who might need medical or dental care, and repeat visitors. The course is £40 per dose, £120 in total.

Do you need malaria tablets for China?

No. This is the good news that surprises people: China was certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization in 2021, after decades of effort, so malaria tablets are not needed for travel to China. You can take that off your list entirely. There is a fuller explanation in our guide to malaria tablets for China.

That does not mean mosquitoes are irrelevant, though. Southern China in particular has dengue and, right now, an active chikungunya outbreak, both spread by day-biting mosquitoes with no tablet to prevent them. So while you can forget malaria, bite avoidance still matters, especially in the south and in summer.

Chikungunya and dengue in southern China

Dengue follows a similar pattern in the south and during the warmer months, again with bite avoidance as the protection. If your trip is city-focused in the north, such as Beijing and Xi’an, the mosquito-borne risk is much lower, but the south and the summer season change the picture.

Which kind of China traveller are you?

The right list depends as much on your style of trip as your destination. These are the profiles we see most often at the clinic.

Current health alerts for China

None of these should put you off. They simply make the case for a short pre-travel consultation, where we work out which apply to your route. Alerts are re-checked against NaTHNaC and the CDC at the time of each booking.

When to book your China vaccines

Six to eight weeks before you fly is ideal, especially if you need rabies, hepatitis B or Japanese encephalitis, all of which are courses. Two to four weeks is enough for the core vaccines, and even at the last minute there is usually something worthwhile we can do. The earlier you come, the more options stay open.

1. Book as soon as your trip is confirmed, and tell us your regions and rough dates.
2. Bring your itinerary and any vaccination records, noting any rural or southern sections and the season.
3. We review the trip and recommend what is relevant, nothing you don’t need. Most people have their core vaccines the same day.
4. We plan any multi-dose courses around your departure date.

Check availability and book online →

China vaccine prices at Ealing Travel Clinic

Prices are per dose, and the consultation is included. There is no separate assessment fee. You can see a fuller breakdown in our China vaccination costs guide.

As a guide, the three core vaccines come to £105, with the consultation included. Adding rabies brings it to about £285, and a rural summer package with Japanese encephalitis to roughly £485. We only recommend what your trip calls for.

China travel vaccines: frequently asked questions

What vaccines do I need for China?

Almost everyone needs hepatitis A, typhoid and an up-to-date diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster. Depending on your route and season, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B are worth considering. We tailor it to your trip.

Do I need malaria tablets for China?

No. China was certified malaria-free by the WHO in 2021, so malaria tablets are not needed. Bite avoidance still matters in the south for dengue and chikungunya. See our malaria tablets for China guide.

Is there a chikungunya outbreak in China?

Yes. Since mid-2025 there has been a large chikungunya outbreak in Guangdong Province in the south, with spread to Hong Kong and Macao. Bite avoidance is the main defence, and a chikungunya vaccine is available at our clinic; we will advise whether it suits your trip.

Do I need the rabies vaccine for China?

It is worth considering, as China is a high-risk country for rabies. It is especially relevant for longer stays, rural travel, cyclists and children. Pre-exposure vaccination gives you more time to reach treatment and removes the need for scarce immunoglobulin.

Do I need the Japanese encephalitis vaccine for China?

Only for rural areas, extended stays or summer visits to rice-growing regions. It is not needed for a short city trip. Cases occur in most provinces except Tibet, Xinjiang and Qinghai, mostly June to October.

How much do China travel vaccines cost?

The three core vaccines come to £105, consultation included. Adding rabies brings it to about £285, and a rural summer package with Japanese encephalitis to around £485. See our China vaccination costs guide.

How far in advance should I get vaccinated?

Six to eight weeks is ideal, especially for rabies, hepatitis B or Japanese encephalitis. Two to four weeks covers the core vaccines, and even closer to departure there is usually something worthwhile. Come in as soon as your trip is booked.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate for China?

Not if you are travelling directly from the UK. China requires a yellow fever certificate only from travellers arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. There is no yellow fever in China itself.

China is a rewarding and varied trip, and a short consultation makes sure the health side is sorted before you go. Bring your route and dates and we will confirm exactly what you need, and what you can safely skip.