Islamic Countries Take Swine Flu Precautions for Hajj
Also, human trials on H1N1 vaccine to start, worries about countries hoarding vaccine, and other influenza news The Hajj, a journey to Mecca that retraces the steps of Mohammed, is one of the religious pillars of Islam. Pilgrims making the Hajj are the primary reason why Saudi Arabia is one of the world's most visited tourist spots. Like a religious version of Orlando, Mecca and Medina draw about three million visitors every year, from every country in the world. Unfortunately, the date for this year's Hajj, November 25th to the 29th, falls right smack dab in the middle of flu season, and Muslim countries from Morocco to Indonesia have begun wrestling with the problem of religious duty in a swine-flu world. According to the New York Times, Egypt has already banned the elderly and the very young from participating in this...