Travel health – it’s important!HygieneTravel health is so important. Take some steps to be healthy.I would classify China as a reasonably clean country - but not to the same standard as Western countries. Sheer population size strains sewerage facilities and rubbish collection. It also depends where you are - major cities are cleaner than rural areas. Toilets range from excellent (in major hotels for example) to average (most) to terrible such as those in public places. If you are going out for the day, do a bit of pre-planning. There are not too many Western toilets in hotels or restaurants. Learn to squat or wait until you get back to your Western hotel! Carry some toilet paper or tissue with you. Drink from bottled water. HealthIt would be wise to be reasonably fit and healthy if you go. I did not have any major health issues.Most major cities have Western Doctors, for example, the Global Doctor chain. The service there is excellent. That is not to say the Chinese hospitals are bad. One I went to was spotless - but unless you speak Chinese, you will find it difficult. HOWEVER, the Global Doctor is expensive so make sure you have medical insurance! PharmaciesThere is in Chongqing and Chengdu a chain of pharmacies called "Watsons". They are the closest I could find to a Western pharmacy.They stocked most items we would expect to find in a pharmacy. Occasionally I went into a true Chinese pharmacy and bought something simple like cough lozenges. However, the Chinese medicines were interesting! PollutionPollution is a problem in most places in China.If you have respiratory problems you will suffer. Of course not all places are the same. But certainly Chongqing, and Chengdu are fairly polluted. I got used to it and didn't suffer too badly (apart from an irritable cough at times) but a few other people I knew suffered quite severely.
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