What vaccinations do I need for Hajj or Umrah?
One is compulsory. The rest are strongly advised because of what the pilgrimage actually involves — two million people in one place, shared accommodation, communal food, long distances on foot in the heat and, for men, head shaving.
Required: meningitis ACWY
The Saudi Ministry of Health requires every pilgrim to show proof of vaccination with a quadrivalent (ACWY) meningococcal vaccine, given at least 10 days before you arrive. The conjugate vaccine used in the UK is accepted as valid for five years. Without the certificate you will not get the visa. See our meningitis ACWY page for the detail on the vaccine itself.
Recommended
- Hepatitis A — food and water are communal for the whole trip.
- Typhoid — same reason, and many UK pilgrims connect through or travel on to South Asia.
- Hepatitis B — head shaving is one of the rites of Hajj. Licensed barbers are provided with a new blade for each pilgrim, but unlicensed ones may not be. Many pilgrims are vaccinated and also carry a personal disposable razor.
- Seasonal flu — mass gatherings spread respiratory infections, and you will be mixing with people from countries whose flu season is not ours. "Hajj cough" is common enough to have a name.
- Routine UK vaccines — make sure your MMR and your tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster are up to date.
We can give hepatitis A, typhoid and hepatitis B at the same appointment as your ACWY. Seasonal flu vaccine is not always available outside the UK flu season — ask us when you book.
Polio and yellow fever: only on certain routes
Neither applies if you are flying directly from the UK. A polio certificate is only required if you travel to Saudi Arabia via a country reporting circulating poliovirus; a yellow fever certificate is only required if you arrive via a yellow fever risk country. If your route includes a stopover, tell us — that is exactly the sort of thing we check.
The course & schedule
Meningitis ACWY is a single dose, and we issue your certificate the same visit — recorded with the vaccine name and type, your full name, dated and stamped. That is what the visa application asks for, and the vaccine type matters: without it, the certificate is only treated as valid for three years rather than five.
Most pilgrims have everything they need in one appointment. Hepatitis B is the exception, as it needs a short course rather than a single dose, so start that earlier if you can. NaTHNaC advise seeking travel health advice four to six weeks before you go. Requirements are reissued by the Saudi authorities every year, so we check the current season's rules rather than last year's.
Families and groups
We can see families together in one appointment, and we are used to booking groups travelling with the same tour operator. Call 01708 897617 and we will sort the slots out.
Same-day & last-minute appointments
Same-day and last-minute appointments are available at our Romford and Dagenham clinics where clinically appropriate, and we issue the certificate the same visit. Just remember the 10-day rule before arrival. Book online or call 01708 897617.
What it costs
See our booking page for current rates.
Getting your Hajj and Umrah vaccinations in Romford
Brooks Pharmacy runs its travel clinic at 12 Chase Cross Road, Romford RM5 3PR — at the top of Collier Row, about five minutes north of Romford Market on the A1112. There is free patient parking on the door, and buses along Collier Row Road stop close by. Our second clinic is at 281 Wood Lane, Dagenham RM8 3NH, just off the A124 towards Barking — handy if you are coming from Becontree or Barking itself. Both clinics book through the same team on 01708 897617, and there is no GP referral to arrange.
We serve the pilgrim communities across Romford, Dagenham and East London — including Barking, Ilford, Chadwell Heath, Becontree, Collier Row, Gidea Park, Hornchurch, Upminster, Harold Wood, Rainham and Elm Park. Both sites are registered NHS community pharmacies (GPhC premises 1031352 in Romford and 1031154 in Dagenham) — see the Romford and Dagenham NHS profiles.
This page is written and clinically reviewed by the pharmacist team at Brooks Pharmacy, led by Superintendent Pharmacist Gurvinder Singh Sembhi (GPhC 2030374) with Ali Nuhu (GPhC 2222371), following NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro and the UKHSA Green Book.
Hajj & Umrah Vaccinations in Romford
One vaccination is compulsory for the Saudi visa: meningitis ACWY. The rest are strongly advised because of what the pilgrimage actually involves — two million people, shared accommodation, communal food, long distances on foot and, for men, head shaving.
We administer meningitis ACWY and issue your certificate in the same visit, recorded exactly as the visa application asks for.
Brooks Pharmacy serves the pilgrim communities across Romford, Dagenham, Barking, Ilford and Chadwell Heath from its clinic on Chase Cross Road, at the top of Collier Row. Families and tour groups welcome.
What's included
The required vaccine, the recommended ones, and your certificate — in a single visit where clinically possible.
From booking to travel-ready in three steps.
Usually 20–30 minutes.
Common questions
Book your Hajj and Umrah vaccinations in Romford.
The mandatory meningitis ACWY and your visa certificate in one visit at our Romford and Dagenham clinics. Families and groups welcome. No GP referral.