Health Requirements and Recommendations for Travelers to

Saudi Arabia for Hajj – 1445H (2024)

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issues this document to address health requirements and
recommendations for visitors traveling to Saudi Arabia for the purposes of Hajj, or seasonal works in Hajj areas
during 1445H (2024).

1 Required vaccinations.
Vaccine Target Group Target Countries Approved Vaccine
 Quadrivalent (ACYW) Polysaccharide Vaccine, 10
days prior to arrival and should not exceed 3 years.
 Quadrivalent (ACYW) Conjugated 2 Vaccine within
the last 5 years, and at least 10 days prior to
All individuals, 1 year arrival.
Meningococcal old and above, arriving  Health authorities at the pilgrims' country of origin
1 All countries
meningitis for Hajj or for seasonal should ensure their vaccination within the
work in Hajj zones. required validity period and make sure that the
type of vaccine and its date is clearly shown in the
vaccination certificate. If the vaccine type is not
indicated on the certificate, it will be considered
valid for 3 years only.
States reporting
cases of WPV1 or At least one dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine
2 Poliomyelitis All travelers
cVDPV1 (Appendix 1- (bOPV) or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) 3
Table 1)
States reporting
cVDPV2 positive
At least one dose of (IPV)3, if (IPV) is not
human samples or
3 Poliomyelitis All travelers available, vaccination with at least one dose of
Acute Flaccid
oral polio vaccine (OPV)4 is accepted.
Paralysis (AFP) cases
(Appendix 1-Table 2)
Countries or areas at
Yellow Fever vaccine.
All travelers above 9 risk of yellow fever
4 Yellow Fever The Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is valid for life
months of age transmission
starting 10 days after vaccination.
(Appendix 2)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

1
Makkah (the Holy City), Madinah, Jeddah and Taif
2Current evidence suggests that conjugate vaccines are safe and effective for those above 55 years of age.
3 it is recommended to get (bOPV) or (IPV) dose within the previous 12 months and administered not less than 4 weeks prior to arrival.
4 it is recommended to get (OPV) dose within the previous 6 months and administered not less than 4 weeks prior to arrival.

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2 Recommended vaccinations.
Vaccine Target Group Target Countries Approved Vaccine
SARS-COV-2 All travelers aged 12 years and over, https://www.moh.gov.sa/en/HealthAwareness/Pilg
1 All countries rims_Health/Approved-Vaccines/Pages/Outside-
(COVID-19) intending to perform or attend Hajj. the-Kingdom.aspx
States reporting
At least one dose of (IPV)5, if (IPV) is not
positive environmental
available, it is recommended to be
2 Poliomyelitis All travelers sites samples of
vaccinated with at least one dose of the
cVDPV2 (Appendix 1-
oral polio vaccine (OPV)6
Table 3)
Travelers arriving to Hajj areas for Hajj,
seasonal work or other purposes
particularly pregnant women, children
under 5 years, the elderly, individuals
with chronic medical conditions (such as
Seasonal chronic cardiac, pulmonary, renal,
3 All countries Seasonal Influenza vaccine
Influenza metabolic, neurodevelopmental, liver, or
hematologic diseases) and individuals
with immunosuppressive conditions
(such as HIV/AIDS, receiving
chemotherapy or steroids, or
malignancy).

3 Preventive Measures by Health Authority at Points of Entry

Disease Target Countries Approved Vaccine
Comply with local preventive regulations and procedures
SARS-COV-2 required by the Public Health Authority, available online on
1 All countries.
(COVID-19) the fallowing link (https://covid19.cdc.gov.sa/). These
regulations are continuously updated.
Countries with frequent epidemics of
meningococcal meningitis, countries at risk for
Meningococcal Administer prophylactic antibiotics at the points of entry if
2 meningitis epidemics, and countries with
meningitis deemed necessary.
outbreaks of non-vaccine groups of
N.meningitides (Appendix 3)
States reporting cases of WPV1 or cVDPV1
Administer one dose of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) at
3 Poliomyelitis (Appendix 1-Table 1) regardless of age and
points of entry to Saudi Arabia.
vaccination status.
Valid certificate indicating that disinsection was applied in
Aircrafts, ships and other means of
accordance with methods recommended by WHO. They may
4 Yellow Fever transportation arriving from countries affected
be subjected for inspection as a condition of granting free
by Yellow Fever (Appendix 2)
pratique.
Aircrafts, ships, and other means of Valid certificate indicating that disinsection was applied in
Zika Virus
transportation arriving from countries affected accordance with methods recommended by WHO. They may
5 Disease and
with the Zika virus and/or Dengue Fever be subjected for inspection as a condition of granting free
Dengue Fever
(Appendix 4) pratique.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

5 it is recommended to get (IPV) dose within the previous 12 months and administered not less than 4 weeks prior to arrival.
6 it is recommended to get (OPV) dose within the previous 6 months and administered not less than 4 weeks prior to arrival.
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4 General Health Recommendations.
4.1 Physical Ability, Chronic Diseases and Health Education
Ministry of Health recommends authorities at pilgrims’ countries of origin to consider that
pilgrims are free from medical conditions that affects physical ability, this includes diseases that
often disable the pilgrims from performing Hajj, which are as follows:
- Advanced renal failure requiring hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis diseases.
- Advanced heart failure with symptoms evident at rest or with minimal physical exertion.
- Chronic pulmonary diseases requiring continuous or intermittent oxygen use.
- Advanced liver cirrhosis with symptoms of hepatic failure such as (ascites, disorientation or
confusion, varices bleeding).
- Advanced neurological diseases that impair perception or cognition or with sever motor
disability.
- Senile Dementia.
Pilgrims with chronic diseases are advised to ensure they carry documentation of their health
condition, along with an ample supply of their prescribed medications, and to make sure these
medications are in their original packaging.
Pilgrims are recommended to update their vaccination status against vaccine-preventable
diseases. These include vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Measles,
Varicella and Mumps.

4.2 Acute Respiratory Infections

All travelers arriving to Hajj areas for Hajj, seasonal work or other purposes are recommended to
comply with following:
 Wash hands with soap and water or a disinfectant, especially after coughing, sneezing,
after using toilets, before handling and consuming food, and after touching animals.
 Use disposable tissues when coughing or sneezing and dispose of used tissues in
wastebaskets.
 Wear regular face masks when in crowded places.
 Avoid contact with those who appear ill and avoid sharing their personal belongings.
 Avoid visits and contact with camels in farms, markets, or barns, and avoid drinking
unpasteurized milk or eating raw meat or animal products that have not been
thoroughly cooked.

4.3 Food and Water-Borne Diseases

Authorities in Saudi Arabia do not permit entry of food with arriving travelers for Hajj except in
properly canned or sealed containers. Travelers arriving to Hajj areas for Hajj, seasonal work or
other purposes are recommended to observe the following:
 Wash hands before and after eating and after going to the toilet.

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  Thoroughly clean and wash fresh vegetables and fruit.
 Cook food thoroughly and store at safe temperatures.
 Keep raw and cooked food separated.

4.4 Heat-Related Conditions

Travelers arriving to Hajj areas for Hajj, seasonal work or other purposes, especially older
individuals, are recommended to avoid direct sun exposure while performing rituals and to drink
sufficient amount of fluids. Countries are requested to provide education on health-related illness
to their pilgrims prior to travel. Medications that can exacerbate dehydration (e.g., diuretics) or
interfere with heat exchange may need adjustment by treating physicians.
4.5 Zika Virus Disease and Dengue Fever:
Pilgrims are recommended to take necessary measures to avoid mosquito bites during the day
and evening, which include wearing protective clothing (preferably light-colored) that covers as
much of the body as possible; using physical barriers such as window screens and closed doors;
and applying insect repellent (as per the label instructions on the product) to skin or clothing
that contains DEET, IR3535 or Icaridin.

5 Responding to International Health Events

In the case of a public health emergency of international concern, or in the case of any event subject to
notification under the International Health Regulations (2005), the Ministry of Health will undertake all
additional necessary measures in consultation with the WHO.

6 Hajj Medical Missions:

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requires the medical missions accompanying the pilgrims
to comply with the following technical requirements:
 To have at least 1 physician per 1,000 pilgrims accompanying the mission.
 At least 20% of the accompanying physicians should be public health physicians.
 To have a valid medical waste contract with a certified local company that covers the entire Hajj season.
 Clinics should include at least one infectious diseases isolation room that meets Saudi Arabia Ministry of
Health standards.
 Commit to reporting notifiable infectious diseases to the Saudi Arabian Health System using approved
reporting methods.

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7 Appendixes:

Appendix 1:
Table 1: States reporting cases of WPV1 or cVDPV1
WP1 cVDPV1
Afghanistan Madagascar
Mozambique Mozambique
Pakistan Malawi
DR Congo
Yemen
Congo

Table 2: States reporting cVDPV2 positive Human Sources samples or Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP)
cases.

cVDPV2
Nigeria Ethiopia Burundi
Tanzania Cameroon Zambia
Algeria Côte d'Ivoire Mali
Kenya Guinea Benin
Chad Central African Rep Indonesia
Yemen DR Congo Niger
Somalia Mali Sudan

Table 3: States reporting positive Environmental Sources samples of cVDPV 2

cVDPV2
Egypt United Kingdome
Congo United States of America

Reference:
Polio Eradication Organization report on 3 rd October 2023.

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Appendix 2:
Countries/areas at risk of Yellow Fever transmission, as per the WHO International Travel and Health
Guidelines, are:

Americas Africa
Guyana Argentina Ghana Angola
Panama Venezuela Guinea Benin
Paraguay Bolivia Guinea-Bissau Burkina Faso
Peru Brazil Kenya Burundi
Surinam Colombia Liberia Cameroon
Ecuador Trinidad and Tobago Mali Central African Republic
French Guiana Mauritania Chad
Niger Congo
Nigeria Côte d’Ivoire
Senegal DR Congo
Sierra Leone Equatorial Guinea
Sudan Ethiopia
Gambia Gabon
Togo South Sudan
Uganda

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Appendix 3:
Countries/areas with frequent epidemics of meningococcal meningitis and countries at risk for
meningitis epidemics (WHO International Travel and Health, 2015):
Africa
Nigeria Ethiopia Benin
South Sudan Gambia Burkina Faso
Rwanda Ghana Burundi
Senegal Guinea Cameroon
Sudan Guinea-Bissau Central African Republic
Tanzania Kenya Chad
Togo Mali Côte d’Ivoire
Uganda Mauritania DR Congo
Niger Eritrea

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Appendix 4:
Countries affected with Zika and/or Dengue:
Asia Americas
Vietnam Fiji Bangladesh Dominica Anguilla
Papua New Guinea French India Dominican Republic Antigua and
Polynesia Barbuda
Philippines Laos Indonesia Ecuador Argentina
Samoa Marshall Maldives El Salvador Europa
Islands
Singapore Malaysia Myanmar French Guiana AL Bahama
Solomon Islands Micronesia Thailand Grenada Barbados
Tonga New Caledonia Cambodia Guadeloupe Belize
Vanuatu Palau Cook Islands Guatemala Bolivia
Sri Lanka Guyana Bonaire
Africa Haiti Sint Eustatius and
Saba
Ethiopia Angola Honduras Brazil
Gabon Burkina Faso Isla de Pasqua - Chelsea British Virgin Islands
Guinea Bissau Burundi Jamaica Caiman Islands
Nigeria Cabo Verde Martinique Colombia
Senegal Cameroon Mexico Costa Rica
Uganda Central African Montserrat Cuba
Republic
Sudan Côte d'Ivoire Nicaragua Curaçao
Saint Vincent and the Panama
Grindins
Saint Martin Paraguay
Suriname Peru
Trinidad and Tobago Puerto Rico
Turks and Caicos Saint Barthelemy
US Virgin Islands Saint Kitts and Nevis
Venezuela Saint Lucia
Saint Martin

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