JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia has said all pilgrims and seasonal workers coming to the Kingdom should take meningitis vaccination to obtain visas. Dr. Abdulaziz Abdullah Bin Saeed, undersecretary at the Ministry of Health who is also the head of the ministry's command and control center, said everyone who enters the holy cities for Haj, Umrah or seasonal work is required to take the vaccination. "We have prepared more than 2 million vaccinations for the local pilgrims in 20 various areas," he said. The official said all local pilgrims must be vaccinated against meningitis before they are granted the Haj permit, without which they will not be allowed to enter Makkah or the holy sites. He said those coming from abroad for Haj, Umrah or seasonal jobs must have valid vaccination certificates. Bin Saeed said the vaccination must be taken not less than 10 days or more than three years from the date of arrival in the Kingdom. "The health authorities in the countries from which the pilgrims are coming are requested to make sure that all their pilgrims have been vaccinated against the deadly disease," he added. The official, however, said all the pilgrims would be vaccinated against meningitis and other contagious diseases on their arrival at the Kingdom's entry points even if they had taken the vaccines in their own countries to obtain visas. Dr. Izdihar Abdul Salam Al-Madani, head of health centers in the ministry, said a total of 86 centers have been set up in Jeddah and other entry points to vaccinate the pilgrims. "The Haj permit for local pilgrims has been linked to the vaccination," she said.
