There are some required vaccinations for Hajj or Umrah pilgrims must have their clearance certificate. It is the responsibility of every Muslim who plans to perform Hajj or Umrah should cure the spreading infections before entering Makkah. This is not only fatal for himself but also for others and so on. And to reduce these infection Health specialists have informed to pilgrims about all kinds of infectious diseases, symptoms, complications, and methods of transmission and prevention.
Meningococcal meningitis
It is a bacterial infection that is spread through direct contact with an infected person through coughing or sneezing. The pilgrim should provide the report of vaccination for meningitis and ACYW135. A vaccination report is necessary for polio as well as meningitis for infants and children up to 15 years of age. However, children over 15 years of age should present the same vaccinations requested for adults. The record of vaccination should not increase more than three years and not less than 10 days before entering Saudi Arabia.
If a traveler has an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) booklet then meningococcal meningitis vaccine can be recorded in the ‘Other Vaccinations’ pages.
Meningococcal meningitis has befallen throughout previous Hajj and spread to other countries from the returning pilgrims. Therefore, vaccination is advised for personal protection of all pilgrims, including those under the age of two years.
Meningococcal infection most commonly presents as either meningitis or septicemia, or a combination of both. Fewer frequently infections such as pneumonia, endocarditis, pericarditis, arthritis myocarditis, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, urethritis, and cervicitis individuals may involve.
Yellow Fever:
• Pilgrims from declared Yellow Fever infected countries which are mentioned below are to provide vaccination certificate before the arrival of the Kingdom no later than 10 days and not more than 10 years.
• All aircraft, ships and various means of transportation coming from countries infected with Yellow Fever, is required from International Health Regulations to declare a valid certificate stating extermination and termination of insects (mosquitoes) from the board. However, Yellow Fever endemic countries are:
Mali, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Brazil, Bolivia, Suriname, Peru, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Paraguay, Angola, Benin, Sudan, Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Togo, Kenya, Liberia , Stoma and Principe, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Burundi, Chad, Uganda, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon
Seasonal Flu:
Pilgrims are required to get all the seasonal influenza vaccinations from the Saudi Ministry of Health especially people with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory diseases, neurology, diabetes. Moreover, patients with immune deficiency congenital and acquired diseases, Metabolism diseases, pregnant women, and people with obesity are also required to get the vaccination. Flu in the winter season is at high risk, so the pilgrims who will perform the minor pilgrimage in December umrah 2019 then they must be conscious of flu.
Poliomyelitis:
• Countries are requested by Saudi Arabia to vaccine children less than 15 years oral poliomyelitis vaccines such as Oral Polio Vaccine. Pilgrims should provide a certificate before six weeks to coming Kingdom. The countries are included: Democratic Republic of Congo – Uganda – Kenya – Benin – Angola – Sudan – Senegal – Mauritania – Sierra Leone – Guinea – Liberia – Cameroon – Burundi – Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Togo – Niger – Burkina Faso – Mali – Central African Republic – Chad -Côte-d’Ivoire –