Virus- transmitting countries, namely: Uganda, Kenya, Benin, Angola, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Democratic Republic of the CongoEthiopia, Nepal are requested to have vaccination of children under 15 with oral polio vaccine (polio vaccine oral) before the arrival in the Kingdom within a period of six weeks and provide a certificate to prove it. They will be given another dose of oral polio vaccine upon arrival in the Kingdom. 2 - All pilgrims of all ages arriving from Poliomyelitis endemic countries namely Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, are requested to have oral polio vaccine before their arrival in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia six weeks in advance and prove it with an authenticated certificate. They will be given another oral polio vaccine upon arrival in the Kingdom regardless of age. Fourthly, Seasonal Influenza Virus Vaccine The Ministry of Health recommends all pilgrims both from outside and inside Saudi Arabia, to take vaccine against seasonal influenza virus before they commence Hajj or Umrah Journey, especially those most vulnerable to complications of the flu, such as the elderly and persons with chronic respiratory diseases, diabetics, renal, liver and cardiac failure. Fifthly, Food Materials All foodstuffs are prohibited including food materials brought by the pilgrims or Umrah performers among their luggage unless the food they brought is canned or sealed in a container or it has an easy opening in containers for inspection and only in quantities sufficient for the road journey and nothing more than that. Sixthly, in the case of a health emergency or a concern for the outbreaks of diseases subjected to international health regulations from any country that pilgrims and Umrah performers come from, the Saudi health authorities might take any additional precautionary measures to those above-mentioned requirements in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) in a timely manner in order to avoid the spread of infection among the pilgrims and Umrah performers or transmit infection to their home-countries.
