General Travel Advice: Optimize Your Health for Holy Trip (Umrah, Hajj)

General Travel Advice: 

Optimise Your Health for Holy Trip (Umrah, Hajj)

First of all,

All pilgrims should aim to be fit for Hajj, the pilgrimage can be a difficult task for even the fittest individual. Keeping active, improving movement and exercising properly is suggested.

Hurry!! It's time to call your GP now!

Some pilgrims may benefit from a general health check-up with their GP prior to departure to optimize their health, especially the elderly, those with underlying health problems. Pilgrims taking regular vaccination should review their prescription with their GP and ensure that they have satisfactory medicines to cover the trip. A letter from the GP with details of current medication may be beneficial for immigration purposes and all medicines should be kept in their original packaging and carried in the hand baggage with a printed copy of the prescription.

Tips for women:

During pregnancy female pilgrims may wish to delay menstruation during Hajj and this should be discussed well in advance with the GP who may prescribe hormonal therapy.

What should you carry meanwhile performing Umrah or Hajj?

A personal medical/first aid kit is necessary for pilgrims. It should include safety aid kit, dressings, plasters, small bandages, antiseptic lotion/cream, adhesive tape, sunburn lotion, scissors, safety pins, antihistamine cream, blister dressings, rehydration salts, analgesics for pain and an antidiarrhoeal agent such as loperamide.

Hajj and Umrah Health Requirements

Health requirements that must be met by Hajj pilgrims and Umrah performers (updates will be issued as needed):

The Ministry of Health has established a number of requirements that must be met by visitors to obtain an Entry Visa for Hajj and Umrah Packages all inclusive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj season 1434 H. These health regulations include:

1 - Yellow Fever:  In accordance with the International Health Regulations 2005, all travellers arriving from countries or areas at risk of yellow fever must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate showing that the person was vaccinated at least 10 days and at most 10 years before arrival at the border. In case of the absence of such a certificate, the individual will be placed under strict surveillance for 6 days from the date of vaccination or the last date of potential exposure to infection, whichever is earlier.

2 - Meningococcal Meningitis: Visitors arriving for the purpose of Umrah or pilgrimage (Hajj) or for seasonal work are required to submit a certificate of vaccination with the quadrivalent (ACYW135) vaccine against meningitis issued no more than 3 years and no less than 10 days before arrival in Saudi Arabia. The responsible authorities in the visitor’s country of origin should ensure that adults and children over the age of 2 years are given 1 dose of the quadrivalent polysaccharide (ACYW135) vaccine.

3 - Poliomyelitis: All travellers arriving from polio-endemic countries and re-established transmission countries, namely, Afghanistan, Chad, Nigeria, and Pakistan, regardless of age and vaccination status, should receive 1 dose of oral polio vaccine (OPV). Proof of polio vaccination at least 6 weeks prior to departure is required for visitors from polio-endemic and re-established transmission countries to apply for an entry visa for Saudi Arabia and travellers will also receive 1 dose of OPV at border points on arrival in Saudi Arabia. 

Which month is Perfect for Umrah?

Absolutely! Winters like October to January is not that hot though! Read our article about why You Should Perform Umrah in December?

Note: Now Hajj is coming right away and from the month of September Umrah season will start again so if you have any query about Hajj or Umrah. You can contact us for any information or guidance about Hajj & Umrah Packages from London, UK.