People traveling to Mecca for the hajj next month should visit a travel medicine clinic two to four weeks before their departure, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.
The hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is expected to take place from June 14, and as millions are expected to take part, travelers risk contracting diseases, the CDC said.
Travelers are recommended to consult with a travel medicine specialist two to four weeks before their departure to receive vaccine and disease prevention advice based on their itinerary and specific needs, it said.
Photo: Reuters
People arriving in Saudi Arabia for the hajj are required to submit a valid vaccination certificate proving that they received a quadrivalent (ACYW) meningococcal vaccine no less than 10 days beforehand, CDC Deputy Director-General Tseng Shu-hui (曾淑慧) said.
All individuals aged one and older from all countries must have received a quadrivalent (ACYW) polysaccharide vaccine within the past three years or a quadrivalent (ACYW) conjugated vaccine within the past five years, or both at least 10 days prior to arrival, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health Web site shows.
Saudi Arabia also recommends that travelers from all countries get vaccinated against COVID-19 and seasonal influenza before arrival, Tseng said.
As measles outbreaks have been reported in some countries in Europe and the Middle East this year, including Saudi Arabia, the CDC also suggests that people taking part in the hajj consider getting a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, she said.
The CDC’s travel notice for Saudi Arabia is level 1, or “watch,” for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, so travelers to the country are advised to avoid contact with camels and drinking raw camel milk, Tseng said.
Moreover, travelers should practice personal food and hand hygiene, consider wearing a mask in crowded places or poorly ventilated venues, avoid close contact with people who have respiratory symptoms and take measures to prevent mosquito bites, the CDC said.
Travelers who develop a fever, coughing, or other respiratory symptoms are advised to wear a mask and seek medical attention as soon as possible, and should report their condition to CDC quarantine center officials upon returning to Taiwan, it said.
People who develop symptoms within 21 days of returning to Taiwan should seek treatment immediately and tell the doctor about their recent travel and diet to ensure a better diagnosis, the CDC said.
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