Vaccinations for China: what Australians need before they go

Travel health ·Published 26 October 2026 ·Reviewed 26 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist, Ahpra registration PHA0001976405.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor. How we write and check our articles.

You don’t need any vaccines to enter China from Australia, but a few are well worth having. Make sure you’re up to date with measles (MMR), tetanus and flu, and talk to a pharmacist about hepatitis A and typhoid, which spread through food and water. Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and rabies vaccines depend on how long you’re staying, where you’re going and whether you’re visiting family. China is malaria-free. Try to start 6 to 8 weeks before you fly.

Our pharmacist immunisers at Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair give most of these vaccines, for anyone aged 5 and over. Walk in or book a time, and see our travel health page for how it works.

Which vaccines do I need for China?

China is Australians’ fourth most-visited overseas country, with about 744,000 short-term trips in 2025-26, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The right mix depends on your health and plans, so treat this table as a starting point for a chat with a pharmacist or doctor. This guide covers mainland China. Hong Kong and Macau have separate Smartraveller pages.

Most travel vaccines aren’t free, so a private fee usually applies. You’ll see current prices when you book online. If a vaccine is free for you, such as MMR, there’s no fee.

Visiting family? Your risks are different

The Australian Immunisation Handbook says people visiting friends and relatives are more likely to have close contact with local people, stay in rural areas and have higher-risk food and drinks, and less likely to get health advice before they go.

• Typhoid vaccine is especially recommended for family visits.
• Long stay, or time in the countryside? Family visits are often longer, so ask about JE and rabies vaccines.
• Family meals. It can feel rude to refuse food, so where you can, choose hot, freshly cooked dishes and tea made with boiled water.
• Medicines for relatives. It’s illegal to take or send PBS medicines overseas for anyone except yourself or someone travelling with you, even family.

Measles and flu

If you need an MMR dose, NSW Health advises having your final dose at least 2 weeks before you leave. The Northern Hemisphere flu season usually runs from October to May, so a Christmas visit, or one for Lunar New Year (6 February 2027), falls right in it. If you’ve already had this year’s flu vaccine, the Handbook says you may have a second dose before you go.

Hepatitis A, typhoid and hepatitis B

• Hepatitis A. UK travel health advice recommends it for all travellers to China who haven’t had it. One dose gives protection, and a second dose 6 to 12 months later makes it last longer.
• Typhoid. UK travel health advice recommends it for most travellers to China. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it isn’t a significant risk in the big cities, so it matters most if you’re visiting family or rural areas. It’s a single injection, or capsules taken over several days from age 6. The injection is about 65% effective over 3 years, so care with food and water still matters.
• Hepatitis B is common in most of East and Southeast Asia, and the Handbook recommends the vaccine for long or frequent trips. The course is 3 doses over 6 months, and a faster schedule may be possible if you’re short on time.

Japanese encephalitis

JE is a virus spread by mosquitoes. Most people who catch it have no symptoms, but it can cause permanent brain injury or death. UK travel health advice says it occurs across China except Qinghai and Xinjiang. The risk is year-round, but highest from May to October.

The Handbook recommends the vaccine if you’ll spend a month or more in areas with JE during its season, even if you’re based in a city but will visit rural areas. It’s worth considering for shorter trips with time in the countryside, but for short city trips the risk is very low. Depending on the type, it’s a single dose or a 2-dose course, and we can give it at Pacific Fair.

Is the rabies vaccine worth it for China?

Rabies is found in animals in China, especially free-roaming dogs, and healthdirect says it almost always causes death once symptoms appear. The CDC advises treating any dog or other mammal bite in China, even in a city, as high risk. It also warns that an injection unvaccinated people may need after a bite is often not available to international standards, so you could need to go to Bangkok, Hong Kong or home for treatment. Having the vaccine before you go means you usually won’t need that injection, only 2 more vaccine doses after a bite.

The Handbook recommends deciding before you travel, based on how likely you are to be around animals and how easily you could get medical care, and suggests parents consider it for younger children. The course is 2 visits a week apart or 3 doses over about 3 to 4 weeks. We don’t give it at Pacific Fair, so see a GP or travel clinic early.

What to do if an animal bites or scratches you

1. Wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes straight away.
2. Apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine, and don’t cover the wound.
3. Get medical help urgently, the same day if you can, even if you’ve had the rabies vaccine.
4. Ask for a written record of any treatment you’re given, and see your GP when you get home.

Do I need malaria tablets for China?

No. The World Health Organization certified China malaria-free in 2021. If your trip takes in other countries, check the advice for each one, and see a GP or travel doctor if you need malaria tablets, which need a prescription.

Dengue and mosquito bites

Dengue is a risk in China, mostly in the south, in places such as Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan, and mainly in the rainy season from May to November. Chikungunya, spread by the same mosquitoes, caused more than 29,000 cases in China in 2025, mostly in Guangdong, so the same bite precautions apply.

A dengue vaccine is registered in Australia for people aged 4 and over, given as 2 doses 3 months apart. It’s mainly recommended for people who’ve had dengue before, or who’ll spend long or repeated periods where dengue is common. It isn’t suitable for everyone, including people with a weakened immune system, and isn’t recommended in pregnancy. We don’t offer it, so ask a GP or travel doctor.

To avoid bites, use an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, and choose rooms with insect screens or a mosquito net. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

Bird flu: avoid live animal markets

Bird flu rarely spreads to people, but the Government of Canada says most human cases worldwide have been reported in China. Avoid live bird and animal markets and poultry farms, don’t touch birds, alive or dead, and only eat poultry and eggs that are thoroughly cooked. Your seasonal flu vaccine won’t protect you against bird flu.

Air pollution and lung conditions

The CDC says pollution is still a problem in many parts of China, and people with heart or lung conditions, children and older adults are the most likely to be affected. If you have asthma or another heart or lung condition, talk to your doctor before you go, pack plenty of your regular medicines, and check local air quality before heading out.

Going to Tibet or other high places?

Altitude sickness can start above about 2,500 metres, and Lhasa, in Tibet, sits at 3,658 metres. Watch for a headache, cough, racing heart or trouble breathing. If you get any of these, don’t go any higher, get medical help straight away and head down as soon as you can. If you arrive in Lhasa by plane or train, rest for the first 48 hours. Once you’re above 3,000 metres, climb no more than 500 metres a day.

See your doctor before you go, especially if you have heart or lung problems. A doctor can give you medicine to help you adjust, and the CDC says supply in China is unreliable, so take it with you.

Food and water in China

The CDC says tap water isn’t safe to drink in mainland China, even in big cities.

• Drink sealed bottled water or boiled water, and brush your teeth with it too.
• Skip ice. Hot tea and coffee made with boiled water are usually safe.
• Choose food that’s freshly cooked and served piping hot, and avoid raw or undercooked meat and seafood.
• Peel fruit yourself, go easy on salads, and wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before you eat.

Pack a small travel health kit with oral rehydration solution, pain relief, antiseptic and insect repellent. See our travel health checklist for a full countdown to your trip.

How far ahead should I start?

Ideally 6 to 8 weeks before you fly, as some vaccines need more than one dose or take a couple of weeks to work. Flying out at short notice, perhaps for a family emergency? Come in anyway. A single dose of hepatitis A vaccine still gives protection, and some courses can be sped up. Don’t count on finishing a course in China, as the CDC warns some vaccines may be hard to get there.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

Talk to your pharmacist about which vaccines suit your trip, what to pack, and your regular medicines. Some medicines may not be available in China, and some may not be allowed in, so take enough for the whole trip and check with China’s embassy if you’re unsure.

See a GP or travel doctor before you go if you’re pregnant, have a weakened immune system or a long-term health condition, are travelling with children under 5, or need rabies or dengue vaccine. Help Medical, an independent general practice located inside our store, can help.

After you get home, see a doctor if you have a fever, a rash, diarrhoea that doesn’t settle, or any animal bite or scratch, and tell them you’ve been to China. In an emergency, call 000.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need vaccinations to travel to China?

None are required to enter China from Australia. But most travellers should be up to date with measles, tetanus and flu, and talk to a pharmacist about hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines.

Can I get China travel vaccines at a pharmacy on the Gold Coast?

Yes. At Pacific Fair we give hepatitis A and B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, measles, tetanus and whooping cough, and flu vaccines to people aged 5 and over. For rabies and dengue vaccines, see a GP or travel clinic.

Planning a trip to China? Walk in to Pacific Fair, or book a travel vaccination 6 to 8 weeks before you fly.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.