Source: http://epaper.dawn.com, Sundays Dawn Newspaper, 15th November 2009.
Groups at risk from Swine Flu advised to avoid Haj
PARIS, Nov 14: People at risk of suffering severe consequences from swine flu should postpone going to the Haj in 2009, according to a study released on Saturday. The Haj pilgrimage peaks this year from November 25 to 29, at the height of the alert over swine flu.
The study recommends that pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with chronic diseases and children who intend to participate in the 2009 Haj do so at a later date.
Secondary recommendations include providing persons showing flu-like symptoms with hygiene packs and information brochures, and setting up isolation facilities for those infected.
On average, each person infected with the 2009 pandemic flu spreads the virus to another 1.4 individuals.
But during the climax of the pilgrimage, when crowds can reach a density of up to seven people per square metre, the risk of infection could be much higher, the report said.
“These preparedness plans should ensure the optimum provision of health services for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, and minimum disease transmission on their return home,” the researchers said.
study, published in the British medical journal The Lancet, was led by Ziad Memish of the Saudi Arabian health ministry. It is based on a June meeting of experts charged with making recommendations on how to reduce health risks during the Haj. Scientists from the UN Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation also contributed to the findings.
The Lancet questioned, though, whether these measures would be widely accepted or effective.
“Because Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam and should be done at least once in a Muslim’s lifetime, individuals will probably not want to postpone after they have spent much time saving money and planning for this purpose,” it said in an editorial.—AFP
Source: http://epaper.dawn.com, Sundays Dawn Newspaper, 15th November 2009.
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