Saudi authorities have put in place health measures to stop illnesses from spreading among the faithful as millions of Muslims go to Makkah annually to complete the Umrah, also known as the lesser Haj.
Some immunizations are now needed for international travelers, while others are for people arriving from specific nations.
UAE medical professionals are also stressing the need to protect against any health hazards among the large numbers of people traveling from all over the world to do Umrah.
Here is a list of the necessary vaccines to get before traveling for Umrah. Residents of the United Arab Emirates are required to have one jab prior performing Umrah.
To develop protection against the sickness, travelers are recommended to have the immunization ten days before to their trip. Emirates Health Services (EHS) general health centers offer the seasonal influenza vaccination for Dh50.
Getting a vaccination card to present at travel hubs costs Dh20. To book an appointment for vaccination, travellers can log in to the EHS website.
UAE citizens, people above 50, people of determination, children less than 5 years old, pregnant women, university and school students, and people working in healthcare centres are all exempted from seasonal influenza fees.
Previously, Saudi Arabia required all Umrah travellers aged 1 and above to get the meningococcal vaccine (Quadrivalent ACYW-135) at least 10 days before travelling. They should have a vaccination certificate that is valid for 3 years. However, in a latest announcement on Thursday, February 6, the country stated it was .
However, if you still wish to take the vaccine, you will have to book a prior doctor’s consultation which costs Dh150. If you have a health card issued by EHS, you will be exempted from paying the doctor’s consultation fee. The card is valid for a year and costs Dh155 and can be easily issued via the EHS website.
As per the Saudi Ministry of Health, it is also recommended to take a SARS-COV-2 (Covid-19) vaccine before travelling to Umrah areas in the kingdom. It is worth mentioning that Umrah areas as per the ministry are not just Makkah, Madinah. They also include Jeddah, and Taif.
It is recommended that pilgrims with long-term medical illnesses bring proof of their ailment and ample amounts of their medications, keeping them in their original packaging.
UAE citizens are urged to maintain current before traveling overseas, regardless of the reason for the trip.
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