Class Reflection #2

Class Reflection #2

I did not originally think about medical implications when planning my trip to China. However, in today’s class, Ilalee mentioned that people with respiratory issues should take special note when preparing to visit the country. This was relevant to me because I have asthma, but its severity is not bad enough that it impacts my everyday life. I generally only take my inhaler before I do intense exercise. Upon hearing about respiratory issues in China, I decided it would be best for me to ensure I bring two of my inhalers in case I run into any issues.

I also specifically remembered hearing about this issue earlier from a teacher I had in high school named Dr. Pinnau. I decided to reach out to him to get more information. He told me that he used to take academic trips to China quite frequently, and the smog in Beijing was so bad that he recommended all of his students wear face masks over their mouths and nose. He described one time when their faces were full of soot afterwards. Obviously this didn’t sound very appealing, so I am already planning on taking precautions to prevent this such as bringing my inhaler and being willing to wear some sort of mask if it becomes absolutely necessary. I also found a website (https://aqicn.org/map/china/) that provides real time updates on air quality in China. I plan on bookmarking this website so I can reference it each day and make sure I bring my inhaler. Some more research I did on this topic from Scientific American told me that China’s pollution problem is actually making great strides and there are fewer hazardous days than there were several years ago, which is positive to hear. Still, I will try to be careful and watch the air quality on a regular basis during our stay.