Saudi Arabia suspends meningitis vaccine requirement for travellers

KARACHI: Pakistani travellers heading to Saudi Arabia for Umrah or Hajj are no longer required to provide proof of Neisseria meningitis vaccination, as the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the requirement, ARY News reported.

Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a new circular on Thursday for travellers from various countries.

According to Khaleej Times, the new directive has been sent to all airlines operating in Saudi Arabia’s airports, including private carriers, for compliance, reversing a previous circular issued last month mandating meningitis shots.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health had mandated the meningitis vaccine for all Umrah pilgrims, regardless of their visa type.

The vaccine had to be administered no more than three years and no less than ten days before arrival in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, travelers now only required proof of polio vaccination, as mandated by the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority.

According to Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), this regulation applies to travelers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, and other countries.

Travelers must obtain a polio vaccination certificate or an inactivated poliovirus vaccine certificate at least four weeks prior to their arrival in Saudi Arabia.

However, those in transit who complete their journey within 12 hours and remain within the transit area will be exempt from this requirement.

Airlines have been instructed to thoroughly verify the vaccination certificates of travelers arriving from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Mozambique. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in legal action and severe penalties against those responsible.