The Media and Health Awareness Information Center at the Ministry of Health (MOH) pointed out that all the Hajj rituals need to take necessary health precautions, such as cutting or shaving the hair, adding that a number of pilgrims who have their hair cut use contaminated or used razors. Therefore, many viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS may potentially be transmitted through the contaminated blood.
Speaking of the most prominent tips to be followed when having hair cut, the Information Center advised the pilgrims to bring their personal shaving tools along with them, if possible, avoid using any razors during haircutting or shaving, and to use the shavers instead.
The Center advised also all barbers to wash their hands with the medical soap and water before shaving, because the contaminated hands can spread all kind of germs.
The Center further highlighted that if there are not new blades for each shaving, all tools should be cleansed by any of the known disinfectants and antiseptics that are not used previously because all disinfectants lose much of their effectiveness against microbes with frequent use, underscoring the importance of sterilizing these tools by small ray machine, if possible.
Moreover, the Center called upon people not to throw garbage, such as shaving razors, on the ground as they may cause injury to the pilgrims' feet; thus, it transmits infectious diseases that can be easily avoided.
The person with a contagious disease must maintain the health of others through non-use of the following tools (tooth brush, shaver, and nail file), in addition to the other tools that include an amount of blood or other body fluids.
The Center focused also on the necessity of informing the physician and others caring about your health that you are carrying a contagious virus to take the necessary precautions and refrain from donating their blood, if necessary; that is to be added to cleaning up any dropped blood with a disinfectant and water, and dressing the wound with a liquid disinfectant.
It is also important to get rid of any tool contaminated with blood; such as, fillings, bandages, needles, broken glass, and dental floss, by placing them in a plastic bowl, and putting them in the dump site.
The pilgrim should also put the sharp tools in a safe pot, in addition to dressing all wounds and ulcers.