Oman urges Hajj pilgrims to take vaccination

Muscat: Oman's Ministry of Health announced the start of its vaccination drive for those wishing to perform Haj for the year 2018 (1439H).

The latest a person can get the vaccination done is ten days prior to the date of their pilgrimage, and it includes vaccines against Meningococcal meningitis and seasonal flu.

In its statement, the ministry said that all pilgrims, citizens and residents, who have been "accepted by the electronic sorting announced by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs have to proceed to the nearest health institution in ther Governorate in order to take the following necessary vaccinations".

However, the ministry also noted that there were exceptions made for those who have already been vaccinated earlier: Pilgrims who have been immunized with the meningococcal meningitis vaccine for a period of not more than three years and have documentation, do not need this vaccination again. Citizens and residents have been vaccinated for seasonal flu for Umrah during Ramadan 2018 and have documentation do not need this vaccination.