RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has still not announced whether local Haj pilgrims need to take the H1N1 vaccine before proceeding for the annual pilgrimage.

There is still confusion over whether a H1N1 vaccination is necessary. According to Haj permit application forms issued by the Passport Department, prospective pilgrims are asked to submit two vaccination certificates — one for meningitis and a second one which has been left blank.

Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani, spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said the new H1N1 vaccine is still to arrive and, as a result, it has still not been decided whether to make it necessary or not.

“It will take at least two weeks for the medicine to arrive,” he said, adding that pilgrims would then need to submit their applications from Nov. 14.

He added that the vaccines are being imported from Europe and the United States, and that they would be tested prior to use.

Al-Mirghalani said it is obligatory for all local Haj pilgrims to take vaccinations against meningitis and advised high-risk patients to also take flu jabs.

“Pilgrims should take the dose against meningitis at least 10 days prior to their departure to the holy cities since immunity against the disease would be effective only 10 days after the injection is administered,” said Al-Mirghalani, adding that the doses are valid for two years.

Meningitis vaccination is available for intending pilgrims in the Kingdom’s Primary Health Care Centers free-of-charge. The vaccine is also available in private clinics at a modest fee of SR20. The flu vaccine is not mandatory but recommended taking into consideration the weather and the susceptibility of pilgrims to influenza.

Dr. Al-Mirghalani explained that vaccination against meningitis has been made compulsory for local and foreign pilgrims. “According to Ministry of Health statistics, more than 98 percent of foreign pilgrims last year took their vaccination in their home countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, a third Saudi school was shut on Wednesday because of swine flu. News of the closure was disclosed in a joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education.

“A girls’ school east of Riyadh closed for one week on Wednesday,” said the statement. “The closure is a precautionary measure following an increase in suspected cases of swine flu at the school,” it added. The statement did not, however, elaborate on the number of pupils who were infected by swine flu. It did state that the number was significant enough to lead to the school’s closure as a precautionary measure against further spread of the illness.

This news follows the closure of two schools in which two pupils died on account of the illness. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education called on the public not to panic and urged people to take precautionary measures against the illness. They also called on parents and school authorities to take children with swine flu symptoms to hospital for necessary care.

— With input from Saeed Al-Khotani