School just started a month ago and my kid already fell sick twice. Now that flu season is almost upon us, I’m not taking any chances and signing the family up for flu shots as soon as they are available, and guess what – they are now!

If your child is six months or older, there is a flu vaccine available. Special considerations are taken for pregnant women and people over the age of 65, but many options are still safe. In fact, the only at-risk group that needs special consideration is anyone with an egg allergy, and even then you can ask for a quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine, two egg-free options.

So here are the top places where you may want to go for your family’s flu vaccine.

Beijing United Family Hospital

BJU has already started selling its trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines (priced at RMB 90 and RMB 153 respectively) earlier this month and is accepting appointments starting during Golden Week. You can choose which clinic you wish to receive the shot at as well. Scan the QR codes below to purchase the shot and follow their step-by-step guide to make your appointment via their Mini Program.

Oasis International Hospital

OASIS supplies the domestic Hualan Bio, Sinovac, as well as the imported Sinofi Pasteur, brands of flu vaccine, each with a pediatric and adult version. Vaccinations range from RMB 253 to RMB 600 and Lifelong adult members get the Sanofi Pasteur Trivalent for free. Otherwise, vaccination for a small child will cost RMB 350 and the second shot is free. To book your vaccination, please pre-register with QR Code. Vaccinations are estimated to arrive in Mid-October.

Vista Medical Center 

Vista Medical Center provides inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine that is approved for use in people aged 3 and above, as well as vulnerable persons such as the elderly. Please call ahead to make an appointment as the vaccines are not yet available as of the time of reporting.

Website: www.vista-china.net/en
Address: 3/F, Kerry Centre, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区光华路1号嘉里中心3层
Hours: Daily 24hrs
Phone: 8529 6618

Raffles Hospital Beijing

Raffles Hospital will begin accepting reservations for their quadrivalent influenza + pneumovax 23 vaccination shots starting 8 Oct this year. Reservations must be made in advance and only through the following telephone number.

Vaccination Reservation: +86 10 6462 9112
Address: 北京市朝阳区新源里16号琨莎中心一座底商105室
Suite 105, Wing 1, Kunsha Building No.16 Xinyuanli, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Images: Pexels, Courtesy of hospitals

It’s such a coincidence that I scheduled my first post-child mammogram here in Beijing during the month of October, which is recognized around the world as Breast Cancer Awareness month. It just so happened that I was alerted to the presence of a small but persistent lump in my right breast during a recent massage session and decided it would do no harm to cover all my bases. So I called up the hospital to make an appointment for a mammogram.

The first thing I learned is that at Beijing United Family Hospital, I needed to see a doctor in the Breast Surgery Department for a consultation before I could get a mammogram. This isn’t always the case at other clinics and hospitals so check ahead.

Ultrasound instead of mammography

Anyway, the doctor was friendly and assuring as I related my concerns. After a hands-on examination, she suggested that we do an ultrasound instead of a mammogram, the reason being that ultrasounds are more accurate in examining the breasts of women younger than 45. In case you didn’t know, a mammogram is a low-dose X-ray whereas ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to generate an image. Another fun fact: Asian women’s breasts tend to be denser than their Western counterparts.

Forget the pain

At this point, I hope we can do away with the misconception that breast exams are painful. The word mammogram seemingly brings to mind the image of a woman’s bare breasts being squashed by a machine as she winces. But that image is a thing of the past. Though I have yet to do an actual mammogram, I can confidently say that the ultrasound exam was completely painless. The most challenging part was wiping off the excess gel they used.

Cysts are okay

The results were available practically instantly, and concluded that the lump in my right breast (the reason I was there in the first place) was a perfectly harmless liquid-filled cyst. It was best left alone and the worst case scenario would be that it burst due to undue pressure, though even then it wouldn’t be cause for concern. It is tissue that can metastasise into the more worrying tumors. There was a teeny tiny tissue mass (smaller than 1cm) in my left breast that the doctor suggested I return in six months to monitor. Though it is highly likely that this little mass is due to hormonal changes and will dissipate on its own.

Don’t panic if you find anything

More often than not, it really isn’t something to fret about. It’s not advisable to create unnecessary stress worrying about something beyond our control. Googling the worst that can happen may cause sleepless nights and bring on other health problems! Seek medical attention to put your mind at ease instead.

Final notes

For women below 40, yearly breast checkups aren’t necessary. Women between the ages of 40 and 45 can opt for a screening if medical facilities are readily accessible. For women above 45, an annual mammogram is recommended. Check with your medical provider to see if they offer a free screening during October. When I was getting my facial treatment last week, I was offered a free TCM massage for my breasts in honor of this special month.

KEEP READING: Ever Had an Ear Orgasm?

Images: Unsplash