travellovers2 Posted July 20, 2016 #1 Share Posted July 20, 2016 So far from what I have read, there is air pollution in all the big cities in China. So how do you protect yourself to avoid getting sick or coming back with a respiratory illness? Will a mask that goes over your mouth and nose help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted July 21, 2016 #2 Share Posted July 21, 2016 (edited) The degree can vary depending on where you are and when. We've been there (Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai & Xiamen) in March & October and had no problem...and didn't wear a mask or worry about this. Edited July 21, 2016 by Ashland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Big_M Posted July 21, 2016 #3 Share Posted July 21, 2016 A mask is recommended, but when it's bad they recommend you stay indoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travellovers2 Posted July 21, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted July 21, 2016 I think it will be best that we bring our own masks, just in case. Thank you for your replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelMore&More Posted July 21, 2016 #5 Share Posted July 21, 2016 There are plenty of reports on travel forums about people bringing masks. I have yet to read about anybody using them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 21, 2016 #6 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Beijing, December 2015 (business trip) Several days in a row of very bad air quality. Never had a problem (nor brought a mask) for my trips to Shanghai. For Beijing air quality, I follow the US Consulate twitter feed: https://twitter.com/BeijingAir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted July 22, 2016 #7 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Just recently at Staples Center (Los Angeles) and when we exited there was a large group of Chinese on a tour and they all had on mask's...It was a beautiful warm (hot) clear day....Seems like they think the same about our air and took precautions ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travellovers2 Posted July 22, 2016 Author #8 Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) Just recently at Staples Center (Los Angeles) and when we exited there was a large group of Chinese on a tour and they all had on mask's...It was a beautiful warm (hot) clear day....Seems like they think the same about our air and took precautions ;) I think they are used to wearing the mask. I have seen them wearing them in Florida and it's a hot bright sunny day. It's part of their daily lives. I will probably get one just in case. I do have a friend that went to China and told me that he felt the results of the pollution in his nostrils every night. Prefer not to go into details. There is also a post about a group that went and out of 12 only 2 did not get sick with a respiratory illness. Edited July 22, 2016 by travellovers2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted July 22, 2016 #9 Share Posted July 22, 2016 We did a 21 day tour of China that included a four day river cruise. It was wonderful, but the air pollution was terrible. Beijing wasn't too bad, but everywhere else, in the cities, the pollution kept you from seeing a lot of the city. We didn't wear masks. We saw many people in Hong Kong wearing masks. We were told that HK is so polluted due to air coming from the mainland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John Bull Posted July 22, 2016 #10 Share Posted July 22, 2016 (edited) I too have seen plenty of Chinese tourists wearing masks overseas, as well as at home. As travelovers posted, it's part of their daily lives. The folk from HK are right that nearby mainland China pumps out stax of pollution. I saw the difference during two visits just ten years apart, between HK and Guangzhou ("Canton" if you have a very old school atlas ;)). First time the road was quiet, with paddy-fields either side. :) Second time the road was gridlocked & had wall-to-wall factories both side virtually the whole way. And air pollution to match. :( But HK can't put all the blame on China To a large extent it's self-inflicted. All very reminiscent of LA and London 30 years ago. No, we didn't wear masks - few visitors to China / HK do. Residents of course are faced with the air pollution on a daily basis. I'm absolutely no doctor but I can understand their desire to avoid the risk of long-term damage. And mebbe you should wear a mask if you have breathing problems anyway, cos the pollution would surely exacerbate the problems. But for most visitors I doubt the limited exposure would be problematic. JB :) Edited July 22, 2016 by John Bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann ns Posted July 22, 2016 #11 Share Posted July 22, 2016 The pollution can vary with the weather. When we were in Beijing in early March, the first few days had terrible pollution but then a cold front went through and the air cleared. There was visible pollution in Hong Kong and Shanghai and worst was Chongqing. We did not wear masks, and I am not convinced a lot of the ones you can buy are effective. We were told many people in China wear them when they have a cold to prevent spreading it to others. I have had to wear a mask in hospital when visiting certain patients. I hate them and for a few days in China would not worry about it. If you were living there for a long time then you would more likely need to take precautions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelMore&More Posted July 22, 2016 #12 Share Posted July 22, 2016 "I too have seen plenty of Chinese tourists wearing masks overseas, as well as at home. As travelovers posted, it's part of their daily lives...." - It is not part of the Chinese daily lives. Very few people wear masks. None of my friends ever wear masks. I never wore one over the years when I lived in Beijing. Japanese are the ones wearing masks all the time and Koreans to a lesser extend. Most westerners can't tell a Japanese from a Korean or a Chinese. You possibly saw Japanese tourists. Who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John Bull Posted July 22, 2016 #13 Share Posted July 22, 2016 // ....Japanese are the ones wearing masks all the time and Koreans to a lesser extend. Most westerners can't tell a Japanese from a Korean or a Chinese. You possibly saw Japanese tourists. Who knows. In HK & Gougzhou it was certainly locals. But elsewhere .............. well, I'm a typical dumb westerner ;). And you could be right :o JB :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smtcan Posted July 22, 2016 #14 Share Posted July 22, 2016 We toured China in April last year. The pollution was such that we never saw the sun until we cruised on the Yangtze in rural areas. We didn't wear masks at any time, and had no ill effects. However, neither of us has breathing difficulties. A few years ago DH was in hospital in Shanghai (another story). In the room next to him was a woman from UK who was asthmatic. She had left the plane and suffered a serious attack. She was still in hospital when we left. She and her husband were going to catch up with their tour at the airport to go home. Not a very successful holiday for them. The moral of this story - anyone with respiratory problems should be very careful. Sheila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philob Posted July 22, 2016 #15 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Some Asian women try to keep their face skin "translucent" or white as much as possible so they will wear masks or use umbrellas when its sunny. Even as to use these "executioner" style full-face masks: http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-beach-face-maskes-2014-8 :eek: :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv0828 Posted July 22, 2016 #16 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I think I read somewhere that September and October are the months with the best air quality. I would certainly research that before I planned a trip to Asia. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie MeMe Posted July 24, 2016 #17 Share Posted July 24, 2016 We visited China in October and it was clear and very beautiful as decorations from Golden Week were still up. No problem breathing. Coming back from the cruise Bangkok to Beijing in mid November it was cold, dense fog, "seeable" pollution that made my eyes water/react and I needed my rescue inhaler that I use two or three times a year normally. Visiting the Pearl Tower in Shanghi we went on tour up to the top. It was very easy to see through the observation windows the pollution stacked up in layers of different colors of brown and grey and darker. We were high enough to be above most of the pollution hanging over the city. I am a true believer in world pollution from seeing these things on our travels. Another huge concern for me is seeing the masses of trash and plastics floating in really remote locations far from land but showing what man has thrown on the beaches or watershed. Can't imagine that this is not causing harm to all the creatures dependent on the water for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stowaway2k Posted July 24, 2016 #18 Share Posted July 24, 2016 For those concerned about air pollution in China, I recommend the "Air Quality China" app for your smartphone. You can received hour-by-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) readings for cities throughout China. You can then make a sensible judgement on whether or not to wear a mask. For example, at this moment in Shanghai the reading is, amazingly, "46", or "Healthy" which we don't see all that often here. I think I'll step outside and take a nice deep breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCruiser Posted July 25, 2016 #19 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Asians wearing masks may not be totally because of the air pollution situation. Many people wear them to avoid getting sick or avoid getting other people sick due to the close contacts in populated cities, like HK. Also, people may wear masks to hide their identities if they don't want to be recognized in public. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyaheel Posted July 25, 2016 #20 Share Posted July 25, 2016 If you do opt for a mask, get a decent mask with filtration. A surgical mask isn't going to do you any good at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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