New to Shanghai? Living here can be very challenging for plenty of newcomers, as the environment and healthcare system is totally different from your home country. The following tips will help you cope with the change.
Water
Tap water is not drinkable before it’s filtered. As tap water here is not fluorinated, toothpaste with fluoride is encouraged by dentists. Extra fluoride solution can be applied during dental visits for children if necessary.
Food Safety
1. For sanitizing salad and raw vegetables, dilute bleach in water, wash produce for 30 seconds and rinse off with lots of clean water.
2. When reheating processed food in a microwave, use a food thermometer to make sure temperature reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit. This is the safe minimum cooking temperature for most food items.
3. Eggs are not routinely pasteurized, so take caution.
Air
Air quality is relatively better than northern cities like Beijing. However, it can be very bad on some days. A website that is recommended and used by many is www.stateair.net, for real-time AQI (Air Quality Index) information. Anything above an AQI of 100 is considered unhealthy for people with respiratory problems, and an AQI of 150 is unhealthy for all. If above 300, it is hazardous and the outdoors should be avoided.
Health Care
In case of real emergencies like heart attack or major trauma, call 120. Local public ER rooms have cardiologists, surgeons and related facilities. The population in major cities has increased significantly, so it’s not a surprise to see local hospitals always crowded. There are plenty of private international clinics so make sure to do some research to find what's in your area.
Dr. Jack Chen is a general practitioner and the medical director at Eur Am International Medical Center, Guangzhou.
