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Saudi Arabia begins flu vaccination ahead of haj

RIYADH/LAHORE: Saudi Arabia began vaccinating its population against swine flu on Saturday, with priority going to government employees working on the annual haj pilgrimage that takes place later this month. Health Ministry officials were the first to receive the inoculation against the H1N1 virus, the SPA news agency said.

It said the vaccine has also been distributed to all government bodies involved in the haj, including around a million from within Saudi Arabia. Local pilgrims will have the option to be vaccinated, it added. The ministry said it is ready to combat the flu during the busy haj season, which peaks between November 25 and 29.

Saudi health authorities said earlier this month that the kingdom has received the first tranche of 11 million vaccine doses it has ordered. Speaking at the launch of the vaccine campaign, Saudi Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah said the kingdom would not ban anyone considered high risk for swine flu from performing the haj, the Times of India reported. He said it was the responsibility of individual countries to enforce recommendations that children, the elderly and pregnant women skip the pilgrimage. He added only two cases of swine flu had been reported so far among the half million pilgrims who had already arrived in the kingdom. afp/daily times monitor

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