ABU DHABI // Muslims making the Haj this year have been warned to take the necessary vaccinations and health precautions before travelling.
The Saudi government has asked that pilgrims are vaccinated against meningitis and the seasonal flu at least two weeks before their trip to Mecca. This year the Haj season falls in the middle of October.
"It is important to be very cautious at this huge gathering," said Dr Fawad Khan, consultant of family medicine at Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
"Individuals will be prone to all sorts of illnesses and people are coming from all parts of the world where different infections are prevalent."
Dr Khan said pilgrims with medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure should also take additional precautions, such as taking extra supplies of medicine and antibiotics, as well as a first-aid kit.
He said travellers to Saudi needed to be particularly cautious because of the deadly coronavirus Mers.
Last week a Saudi man died of the Sars-like virus, bringing the kingdom's death toll to 42.
"It is a cause for concern," said Dr Khan.
Because of the risk, the Saudi government has recommended that vulnerable people, including the elderly, terminally ill, those that were pregnant, and children under the age of 12, postpone their plans for the Haj and Umrah this year.
Vaccines are freely available for pilgrims at public hospitals across Abu Dhabi.
Salma Al Nuami, nursing director at Abu Dhabi Ambulatory Healthcare Services, said there were three vaccines available for Haj travellers: the meningococcal vaccine, the seasonal influenza vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine.
She said pilgrims should also follow general advice such as hand hygiene, drinking lots of water, carrying a first-aid kit, and to protect themselves from sunstroke or heat exhaustion.
A full list of the healthcare centres offering the free vaccines can be found at www.haad.ae.
Next week the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is rolling out its own Haj awareness campaign on the precautions people need to take before and during the trip.
The DHA has stocked up on vaccines required for pilgrims across its 14 health centres.
The awareness campaign will be launched from September 12.
"The aim of the campaign is to provide health information to pilgrims about the do's and don'ts when they undertake this pilgrimage," said Dr Ahmad bin Kalban, chief executive of primary health care at the DHA.
"Simple precautions can protect their health and that's the message we want to advocate through this campaign."
Dr Kalban said the DHA would also distribute health educational booklets.
Dr Fatima Al Attar, head of preventive services at the DHA, said it was imperative that all pilgrims followed basic personal hygiene to protect themselves.
"Behavioural interventions such as hand hygiene, cough etiquette, social distancing, using your own prayer mat and contact avoidance can be effective at mitigating health risks including respiratory illness among Haj pilgrims," Dr Al Attar said.
Travellers who develop colds, coughs, or any other health problems should seek immediate medical help, she added.
jbell@thenational.ae
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Director: Eli Roth
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Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
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Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
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Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
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Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
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The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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Fuel consumption: L/100km
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The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)