DOHA: Qatar has not taken any special precaution against the new SARS-like virus during Haj nor administering any special vaccine to the pilgrims, since the illness has not become a pandemic, the Haj Committee has clarified.
“No need not to worry about the new virus because it is very limited and only two cases have been detected so for-one from Qatar and other from Saudi Arabia,” a senior Haj Committee official said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“There is no plan to administer any special vaccine to the pilgrims against this virus and the regular one being administered before departure to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia are enough to protect them from any infectious disease,” said Dr Khalid Abdul Hadi, Head of the Medical Committee at the Haj Mission.
The committee advised pilgrims to take vaccines against meningitis and influenza and wear masks in crowded places and wash their hands and mouths using sanitizers, quite frequently.
Pilgrims suffering from chronic diseases should consult their doctors before departure and keep sufficient stocks of medicines during the trip.
Two big ambulances and one mobile clinic will be available for pilgrims from Qatar in the holy cities of Makka and Madina in addition to five cars provided by Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) to use as ambulance in crowded places like Mina.
Clinics will be opened in Makka, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa and the medical services will be available round the clock.
The Qatari medical team has 37 members including 17 doctors, several nurses, three paramedics, four pharmacists, all of whom all are well-trained to deal with emergency situations.
“The committee is taking into consideration the new virus but there is no health warning has been issued so for by the World Health Organization (WHO) and it has not yet been proved that new virus is communicable disease nor it has become an epidemic,” said Deputy Head of Medical Committee Dr Mishal Al Misaifri.
Meningitis vaccine is mandatory for all pilgrims, pneumonia vaccines are for senior citizens and there is one more vaccine against influenza, said Isam Diyab, in-charge of vaccinations at the committee.
The vaccines should be taken ten days before departure and the pilgrims must carry with them the special health cards issued to the pilgrims. Otherwise they could not get entry in Saudi Arabia, said Diyab.
The Peninsula
