Travel Clinic
Meningitis ACWY Vaccination
Protection against four groups of meningococcal bacteria, including the certificate required for Hajj and Umrah.
- Doses
- Single dose
- Certificate
- Certificate available
- Who it is for
- From 1 year of age
- When to book
- Have it 10 days before travel
About this service
Meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia can become life threatening very quickly, and certain trips and activities put you at higher risk. At Berkeley Pharmacy our travel clinic offers the MenACWY vaccination, which protects against groups A, C, W and Y, following a full travel health risk assessment. We also provide the vaccination certificate that Hajj and Umrah pilgrims need for their Saudi visa application.
We take the time to understand your destination and the purpose of your travel, because the recommendation depends on where you are going and what you will be doing. We welcome pilgrims and travellers from Berkeley, Dursley, Cam, Stroud, Yate, Thornbury and across Gloucestershire, and we can usually plan this alongside your other travel vaccinations.
What the MenACWY vaccine is
Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis, an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, and septicaemia, blood poisoning, both of which can become life threatening very quickly. The vaccine protects against groups A, C, W and Y. A single dose is given and protection is generally considered to last about five years, after which a booster may be advised for those at continued risk.
Saudi Arabia requires all Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to show proof of MenACWY vaccination given at least ten days before arrival and within the previous five years for the conjugate vaccine. Risk is also higher in the African meningitis belt, which stretches across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, particularly in the dry season from December to June. The vaccine is licensed from one year of age, with some formulations available for younger infants, and students and backpackers sharing dormitory accommodation are also at higher risk.
Who this service is for
Suitable for
- Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, who must have it to enter Saudi Arabia
- Travellers to the African meningitis belt, especially in the dry season
- Long stay travellers and volunteers in higher risk areas
- Students and backpackers living in shared or dormitory accommodation
- Travellers to areas with a current outbreak
- Anyone due a booster more than five years after their last dose
Not suitable for
- Children under one year for most formulations, although options exist for younger infants after assessment
- Previous severe allergic reaction to this vaccine or its ingredients
- Anyone currently unwell with a high temperature, who should wait until better
- People who have had a dose within the last five years and are not due a booster
How it works
A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Get in touch
Call us or use our contact form to arrange a consultation.
Consultation
A private, face-to-face appointment with our pharmacist in our Berkeley consultation room.
Clinical assessment
We review your medical history and confirm whether the service is suitable for you.
Treatment or referral
If it is suitable we treat you the same day; if not, we explain why and advise on the best next step.
What to expect at your appointment
Your appointment begins with a travel health risk assessment covering your destination, dates and purpose of travel, and a check of your vaccination history, including your teenage MenACWY dose if you had one.
- The injection is given into your upper arm
- A signed vaccination record and, for pilgrims, the certificate you need for your visa application
- A short wait afterwards in the pharmacy
- With your consent, a note to your GP
Aftercare and safety
A sore arm, headache and mild fever are common for a day or two and settle on their own. Keep your certificate safe and take a photograph of it, since Saudi visa applications and airport checks may both ask for it.
- The vaccine does not protect against meningitis B, which is a separate vaccine we also offer
- Learn the warning signs of meningitis and septicaemia, including severe headache, neck stiffness, dislike of bright light, drowsiness, confusion and a rash that does not fade under pressure
- Get emergency help immediately if any of these signs appear
Frequently asked questions
Do I need MenACWY for Hajj or Umrah and how soon before I travel?
Yes. Saudi Arabia requires all Hajj and Umrah pilgrims to show proof of MenACWY vaccination given at least ten days before arrival and within the previous five years for the conjugate vaccine. We provide the vaccination and the certificate you need for your visa application.
Do you provide the vaccination certificate?
Yes. As well as a signed vaccination record, we provide the certificate that Hajj and Umrah pilgrims need for their Saudi visa application. Keep it safe and take a photograph of it, since visa applications and airport checks may both ask for it.
How long does MenACWY protection last?
A single dose is given and protection is generally considered to last about five years, after which a booster may be advised for those at continued risk. If you are due a booster, we can assess and vaccinate you at the same appointment.
Is this the same as the meningitis B vaccine?
No. The MenACWY vaccine protects against groups A, C, W and Y, while meningitis B is a separate vaccine we also offer. Some travellers benefit from both, and we will advise you based on your destination and risk.
Do I need it if I had the teenage MenACWY vaccine at school?
If you had the teenage dose within the last five years and are not due a booster, you may not need another. We check your vaccination history at your appointment and advise you honestly, including telling you if you do not need a further dose.
Which countries are in the African meningitis belt?
The African meningitis belt stretches across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, with the highest risk in the dry season from December to June. We will talk through the risk for your specific destinations and the time of year you are travelling as part of your assessment.
How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment
Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.
Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages
Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.
Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team
- Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
- Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
- This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
- If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.
Related services
Other services you may be interested in at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Meningitis B Vaccination
Protection against the most common cause of meningococcal disease in the UK, for those outside the NHS programme.
Find out more Travel ClinicTyphoid Vaccination
Commonly recommended alongside hepatitis A, particularly for travel to South Asia.
Find out more Travel ClinicYellow Fever Vaccination
Vaccination and the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, required for entry to a number of countries.
Find out moreTravelling for Hajj or Umrah with a heart condition? Some airlines and insurers ask for a fit-to-fly letter. Heart Fit to Fly can help.
Speak to our pharmacy team about meningitis acwy vaccination
Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.
Book a consultation Call 01453 810316
Address
14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)
Sat 9am–1pm
Sun Closed