For most UK travellers to Saudi Arabia an up-to-date Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio booster is the main advice, with Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, MMR and Meningitis ACWY considered depending on your trip. Crewe Travel Clinic confirms exactly what you need at a consultation.
For Saudi Arabia, UK travellers are usually advised to keep their Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio booster up to date, with Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, MMR and Dengue considered depending on the trip. Hajj and Umrah pilgrims must show a Meningitis ACWY certificate, and some also need polio. There is no general malaria or yellow fever risk. Crewe Travel Clinic confirms exactly what you need at a personal consultation in Cheshire.
Saudi Arabia draws UK travellers from Crewe and across Cheshire for a growing range of reasons, from Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, to business in Riyadh, the Red Sea coast and Jeddah, the historic rock-cut tombs of AlUla, and new tourism and leisure developments opening across the Kingdom. It is a modern country with good healthcare in the main cities, but the climate, the food and water, and above all the crowded conditions of pilgrimage mean health risks differ a great deal depending on where you go and what you do, so personalised advice is worthwhile.\n\nWe recommend booking a travel health consultation around six to eight weeks before departure, as some vaccines are given as a course or need time to take effect, and certain entry rules for pilgrims have minimum timings. Shorter-notice appointments are still well worth it, as useful protection can often be started or arranged quickly. At Crewe Travel Clinic our nurse will review your itinerary, planned activities, length of stay and medical history, then give a tailored, non-individualised list following current TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) and WHO guidance, with your final vaccine list always confirmed in person.
Most UK adults benefit from a combined booster if it has been ten years or more since the last dose, and polio cover is part of this routine protection.
Spread through contaminated food and water, so it is considered for travellers eating outside main hotels, staying longer or visiting friends and family.
Also food- and water-borne, so it may be advised where hygiene is harder to control, such as longer stays or eating away from major hotels and resorts.
Considered for longer stays, those who may need medical or dental care, and anyone whose activities could risk contact with blood or bodily fluids.
Rabies can occur in the region, so pre-exposure vaccination is considered for longer or more remote trips, work with animals, or where prompt treatment may be hard to reach.
A quadrivalent Meningitis ACWY vaccine and certificate are a mandatory entry requirement for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, and it is also sensible for other crowded settings.
Worth confirming you have had two doses, as measles continues to circulate worldwide and spreads quickly when people from many countries mix.
A dengue vaccine may be discussed for some travellers, particularly those who have had dengue before, as the mosquito-borne infection occurs in parts of the country.
There is no significant risk of malaria for most travellers to Saudi Arabia, so antimalarial tablets are not generally needed, and any limited risk is confined to specific southern areas near the Yemen border rather than the main cities or pilgrimage sites. Even so, mosquito-bite avoidance remains sensible, as mosquitoes in the region can spread other illnesses such as dengue. Use an effective repellent, cover up where practical, and we will assess your route at your consultation.
There is no risk of yellow fever in Saudi Arabia, so the vaccine is not needed for your health. A yellow fever certificate is only required if you are arriving from, or have recently transited through, a country where yellow fever occurs. Travellers and pilgrims flying directly from the UK are not affected, but if your route includes parts of sub-Saharan Africa or South America, tell us so we can advise and, as a Registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre, provide the vaccine and the internationally recognised ICVP certificate.
Check yellow fever certificate requirementsGood food and water hygiene reduces the risk of travellers' diarrhoea, hepatitis A and typhoid: choose bottled or treated water, be careful with ice, salads and unpeeled fruit, and eat freshly cooked hot food. The Gulf heat is intense, so drink plenty of fluids, limit midday activity, use sun protection and watch for heat illness, especially during pilgrimage. Use insect repellent as mosquitoes can spread dengue, and avoid contact with camels and unpasteurised camel products because of MERS-CoV. Pilgrims to Mecca and Medina should also see our dedicated Hajj and Umrah service.