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Mandatory flu vaccine for Haj, Umrah pilgrims

Saudi Minister of Health Dr Abdullah Al Rabe'ei asserted that his ministry has taken all the precautionary measures to ensure the safety of Haj and Umrah pilgrims from swine flu.

  • By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
  • Published: 22:52 July 1, 2009
  • Gulf News

Riyadh: Saudi Minister of Health Dr Abdullah Al Rabe'ei asserted that his ministry has taken all the precautionary measures to ensure the safety of Haj and Umrah pilgrims from swine flu.

He urged the pilgrims, those living in the holy places, and those serving pilgrims, to take the seasonal flu vaccine.

"Pilgrims coming from all over the world must take the vaccine at least two weeks before travelling to the holy sites. Instructions have been sent out to establish isolation centres in the holy sites for Umrah pilgrims suffering from flu," he said, adding that the vaccine would be available before the Haj season.

The minister made the remarks at a press conference at the end of a four-day international workshop in Jeddah on Tuesday evening that examined Saudi measures taken to prevent the spread of swine flu during the Haj in December.

International experts who attended the workshop have recommended that children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with chronic diseases stay away from the annual Haj pilgrimage in order to prevent catching swine flu.

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