Travel vaccination
Hajj and Umrah Vaccine (Meningitis ACWY) in Epsom
Meningococcal disease is rare, fast and serious. It can cause meningitis and blood poisoning within hours of the first symptoms, it kills between five and ten in every hundred people who get it, and many survivors live with hearing loss, brain injury or amputations.
- Registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre
- GPhC premises 9011598
Recommendations depend on your itinerary, health history and current guidance.
NaTHNaC Registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre
A Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre on the NaTHNaC register, and the same travel clinic that gives your other vaccinations.
GPhC registered premises
9011598
Private and NHS pharmacy services from one registered pharmacy in Ewell, Epsom.
In short
Miles Pharmacy in Epsom gives the meningitis ACWY vaccine, also known as the Hajj vaccine, for Hajj, Umrah and travel, with the record Saudi Arabia asks for. One dose from age 1. For pilgrimage it must be given at least 10 days before you arrive.
- Doses
- One from age 1, for children and adults alike
- Before you arrive
- 10 days at the least, for Hajj and Umrah
- The record counts for
- Five years
- Price
- £60 including your record
What the ACWY vaccine protects against
- Meningococcal disease
- A bacterial infection that causes meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the brain, and septicaemia, which is blood poisoning. It spreads through close or prolonged contact with someone carrying the bacteria, usually through coughing, sneezing or kissing.
- How fast it moves
- It can begin like a bad flu and become life-threatening within 24 hours. Early treatment saves lives, which is why knowing the signs matters as much as the vaccine.
- Four groups, not all of them
- The vaccine covers groups A, C, W and Y. It doesn't cover group B, which now causes most meningococcal disease in the UK and has its own separate vaccine. It doesn't protect against viral meningitis either.
- MenC isn't enough for travel
- If you had the MenC vaccine as a child, that covers group C only. UK guidance says travellers need the four-group ACWY vaccine even if they've had MenC.
Work it out
Do you need the meningitis ACWY vaccine?
Covers pilgrimage, travel, and whether you can get it free on the NHS.
This works out an answer in your browser. With JavaScript off, the sections below say the same thing in full.
Call us on 020 8393 1000Your answer
- Reasons the guidance names
- 8
- Of those, routes where you don't pay
- 3
- Rules last checked
- 4 October 2026
This is a guide, not a clinical assessment. We confirm at your appointment.
Hajj and Umrah: what Saudi Arabia requires
Meningitis ACWY vaccination, often called the Umrah injection, is a condition of entry for pilgrims, and the rules on timing and paperwork are specific. A record without the right details can mean being vaccinated again.
- Who needs it
- Everyone aged 1 or over travelling for Hajj or Umrah, and seasonal workers in Hajj areas. That includes children travelling with family.
- When
- At least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia. Booking four to six weeks ahead is better, as it leaves time for your other pilgrimage vaccines.
- How long it counts
- Five years.
- What the record needs
- Your full name as it appears on your passport, the vaccine name and type, the date, and our official stamp. We can record it in the 'other vaccinations' pages of an ICVP booklet if you have one, or give you a signed and stamped record.
- Why it matters beyond the visa
- Meningococcal outbreaks have followed pilgrimages before. In 2024 and 2025, cases linked to Umrah were reported in several countries, including the UK, mostly group W in pilgrims who hadn't been vaccinated. Cases have also spread to family members at home.
- Other pilgrimage vaccines
- Flu vaccination (£26) is recommended by the Saudi authorities, hepatitis B is worth considering because of the head-shaving rite, and your routine vaccines including MMR should be up to date. Polio and yellow fever certificates only apply if you travel via certain countries rather than direct from the UK. COVID-19 vaccine (£89): Saudi Arabia asks people aged over 65, pregnant women and people with long-term conditions for proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
- Rules change every season
- Saudi Arabia publishes Hajj and Umrah requirements each year, and the Umrah rules come out separately. We check the current rules against your dates at your appointment, and the Nusuk platform has the official version.
Work it out
Hajj and Umrah vaccine planner
Enter your arrival date in Saudi Arabia and anything you've had before. It tells you when to be vaccinated by and whether an old record might still count.
This works out an answer in your browser. With JavaScript off, the sections below say the same thing in full.
Call us on 020 8393 1000Your answer
- Days before you arrive, at the latest
- 10
- What the record must show
- 5
- Requirements last checked
- 4 October 2026
This planner is a guide based on the current Saudi requirements. Rules are set each season, so we confirm everything at your appointment and you should check Nusuk before you travel.
What it costs
Price
| Vaccine | What that covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Meningitis ACWY | Single dose | £60 |
One price, paid when you book.
Travel to Africa and elsewhere
- The meningitis belt
- Epidemics happen unpredictably across tropical Africa, especially the savannah regions in the dry season, from December to June.
- Who it's recommended for
- Long stays in sub-Saharan Africa, backpacking or travelling rough, and anyone living or working closely with local people.
- Outbreaks elsewhere
- Outbreaks caused by A, C, W or Y are occasionally reported in other parts of the world, and vaccination may then be recommended for travellers to the affected area.
- Short holidays
- For a standard short holiday outside these situations, it isn't usually needed. We'll tell you honestly if that's your trip.
Not only travel
Free on the NHS for some people
Some groups can get this vaccine without paying, and we'd rather point you there than charge you.
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Teenagers and under-25s
It's offered in school around year 9, at about 14. Anyone who missed it stays eligible free from their GP until their 25th birthday, including students starting university, where close living makes outbreaks more likely.
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No spleen or a poorly working spleen
People with asplenia or splenic dysfunction are at higher risk and are offered extra meningococcal vaccines through the NHS.
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Complement disorders and complement inhibitor treatment
People with complement disorders, or starting treatment that blocks complement, need vaccination through their specialist team, ideally at least two weeks before treatment begins.
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Laboratory staff
Staff who handle the bacteria are vaccinated by their employer, with a booster every five years.
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Close contacts of a case
If someone close to you has meningococcal disease, the NHS health protection team will contact you, usually to offer antibiotics and sometimes vaccination. This is urgent. If you haven't heard from them, call NHS 111 today rather than booking with us.
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Over 25 without a school dose
If you're 25 or over and never had it, the NHS won't usually offer it unless you're in a risk group. You can have it privately, for example as a mature student or before travel.
How it works
One dose for most people
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From 1 year old
A single injection into the upper arm, for children and adults alike.
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Babies under 1
Two doses four weeks apart if they need protection for travel. Only one of the UK vaccines is licensed from six weeks of age, so ask us before booking a baby in.
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It isn't live
None of the meningococcal vaccines contain live bacteria, so they can't cause the disease.
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Boosters
Routine boosters aren't currently recommended in the UK. Pilgrims need a dose within five years of arrival to meet the entry rule, so if your last one was longer ago, you'll need another before you go.
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Alongside other vaccines
It can be given at the same appointment as any other vaccine, in a different arm.
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Work it out for your trip
Hajj and Umrah vaccine planner
Know the signs, before and after you travel
The vaccine doesn't cover every type, so the signs are worth knowing whether or not you're vaccinated.
Watch for. Fever, headache, a stiff neck, vomiting, dislike of bright lights, severe pain in the limbs or joints, cold hands and feet, drowsiness or confusion, and a rash that doesn't fade under pressure. Not everyone gets every sign, and the rash can come late or not at all.
Act fast. Call 999 or go to A&E if you're worried, particularly if symptoms are getting worse. Don't wait for a rash.
After a pilgrimage or trip. If you become unwell in the weeks after returning, tell whoever sees you that you've been to Saudi Arabia or wherever you travelled.
While you're away. Wash your hands often and avoid sharing drinks, cups and eating utensils, which is how respiratory infections spread in crowds.
Safety
Safety and side effects
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Who can't have it
Very few people. Only those who've had a confirmed severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or to a vaccine ingredient.
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Common side effects
A sore, red or swollen arm, headache, nausea, tiredness, and in younger children irritability or a poor appetite. These usually pass within a couple of days.
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Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It can be given in pregnancy when there's a clear reason, such as pilgrimage, and there's no evidence of harm from vaccination in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
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Weakened immune system
It's safe to give, though the response may be weaker. Specialist advice may be needed.
Your appointment
What the appointment involves
- Bring
- Your passport, so the name on your record matches it exactly, any previous vaccination records, and your travel dates.
- Families and groups
- We can vaccinate family members and pilgrimage groups together. Give us a call if you're booking for several people so we can make sure we have enough stock.
- Your record
- You leave with a stamped record naming the vaccine and dated, in the format Saudi Arabia asks for.
Before you book
Questions about the meningitis ACWY vaccine
Answered by the pharmacist who signs this page off.
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£60 for the single dose, including the stamped record for Hajj or Umrah.
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At least 10 days before you arrive in Saudi Arabia. Four to six weeks ahead is better, as it leaves time for your other pilgrimage vaccines.
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Five years.
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Possibly not, if it was within five years of your arrival and you have a record naming the vaccine and its type. Bring your school or GP record and we'll check whether it meets the rule.
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Yes, from age 1. Babies under one aren't covered by the rule, but vaccination is still recommended for protection and is two doses four weeks apart at that age.
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£60 for the single dose, including the stamped record Saudi Arabia asks for.
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At Miles Pharmacy, 94 Chessington Road, Ewell, Epsom, KT19 9UR. There's a bus stop outside on each side of the road, and Ewell West station, step-free to every platform, is nearby with a car park. Patients come to us from across Surrey, including Ewell, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Banstead, and from Sutton, Cheam, Surbiton and Kingston in south-west London.
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Yes. Children need it from age 1, so you can book the whole family together. If you're booking for several people, call us on 020 8393 1000 so we can make sure we have enough stock.
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No. It covers meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y. It doesn't cover group B, which has a separate vaccine, or viral meningitis. Knowing the signs still matters.
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If you're under 25 and missed it at school, yes, from your GP. People with no spleen, a poorly working spleen or a complement disorder get it through the NHS too. Travel and pilgrimage vaccination for over-25s is private.
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Routine boosters aren't recommended in the UK. Pilgrims need a dose within five years of arrival, so if yours was longer ago you'll need another before you travel.
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Yes, when there's a clear reason such as pilgrimage. There's no evidence of harm from vaccination in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
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No, call NHS 111 today if the health protection team hasn't already contacted you. Close contacts usually need antibiotics urgently, and that's arranged through the NHS.
Guides and advice
Guides on meningitis ACWY
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Meningitis
What is the Meningitis Vaccine? How Does it Work?
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Meningitis
What Happens When You Take The Meningitis Vaccine?
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Meningitis
What Hajj and Umrah Vaccinations Do You Need?
Guides are a starting point, not a diagnosis. What is right for you depends on your health history, your medicines and what a pharmacist finds on the day.
Find the pharmacy
Where to come, and when
Miles Pharmacy is in Epsom, Surrey. Patients come to us from across Surrey, including Ewell, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Banstead, and from Sutton, Cheam, Surbiton and Kingston in south-west London.
Ewell, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9UR
How to get here Parking, trains, buses and step-free access
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The door is on Chessington Road, with step-free access
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The station car park, on Station Approach off Chessington Road
- Address Elizabeth Court, Station Approach, KT17 1DR
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Step-free to all platforms, by a footbridge with lifts
- Step-free to every platform (National Rail step-free category A)
- Lifts two, on the footbridge
Checked against nationalrail.co.uk
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Outside the pharmacy, with a stop on each side of Chessington Road
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Cycle parking at the station
Take this with you
Point your phone's camera at the code and this page opens there, with the directions one tap away.
Sources
- UKHSA Green Book chapter 22: meningococcal, dated . Checked .
- NaTHNaC: Hajj and Umrah factsheet, dated . Checked .
- NaTHNaC: invasive meningococcal disease reported in Umrah pilgrims in 2025. Checked .
- Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Hajj health requirements 1447H (2026). Checked .
- Campbell H et al. Increase in serogroup W invasive meningococcal disease in England associated with pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, January 2024 to June 2025. Eurosurveillance 2025;30(31). Checked .
Travel health
Book before you pack.
Choose a service and a date that suits you. One of us confirms it with you directly.
- Private and NHS
- GPhC premises 9011598
- Open until 6:30pm
Prefer to talk? 020 8393 1000