Leading occupational healthcare provider, Corporate Health, has advised Hajj visitors of the need to be fully vaccinated before travelling. The charity has been helping both national businesses and the local Slough community since 1947, and is aiming to underline the dangers of travelling without the requisite vaccinations.
A past census of Slough showed that the borough area was the most ethnically diverse local authority area outside London in the United Kingdom. Over 13% of Slough-based residents are Muslim.
Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) and is the largest gathering of its kind in the world. Each year over two million Muslims from around the world gather in Makkah. Each Muslim is duty bound to perform one Hajj in their lifetime. The Hajj pilgrimage occurs from the 8th and 12th day of the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, and is estimated to fall between the 24th and 29th October this year.
As with most overseas travel, there is mandatory and advisory travel health advice to be given to travellers and pilgrims. Pilgrims are advised to make sure they have the right vaccinations and documentation ready for immigration officials to avoid being refused entry. Vaccinations typically required include:
- Meningococcal Meningitis (required for a VISA application)
- Polio
- Yellow Fever (if arriving from countries or areas at risk for transmission of yellow fever)
In addition it is advisable to consider Hep B and seasonal Flu.
Islam stipulates the pilgrim to be healthy and of appropriate means before considering the Hajj. Even though the UK doesn?t have an outbreak of Yellow Fever, many of the pilgrims will be travelling from endemic countries.
Corporate Health has teamed up with leading travel health company MASTA to bring a world class travel vaccination clinic to the local community of Slough.
Large global organisations such as civilian Ministry of Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office use MASTA for their travel health related services.
Brett Edwards, Managing Director at Corporate Health said ?We encourage all visitors to the Hajj to check what they need well in advance of their departure, so many visitors have their travel plans and lifetime pilgrimage ruined by not having the relevant vaccinations and evidence to travel?
Pilgrims can obtain a free travel brief from the Corporate Health & Masta website: https://www.etravelclinic.com/public/travellers/new
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