Saudi Arabia allows Hajj pilgrimage under strict guidelines

RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia on Sunday announced that the Kingdom intends to hold the Hajj ritual for this year (1442 AH) under strict preventive protocols amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Hajj and Umrah Ministry said in a statement that the Hajj pilgrimage will go ahead this year with all the health, security and regulatory standards and regulations in place in order to preserve the health and well-being of the pilgrims.

“Health institutions in Saudi Arabia will continue to assess the situation and take all the measures to preserve the health of all mankind,” according to a statement issued by the ministry.

BREAKING || Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announces the Kingdom’s intention to hold this year’s #Hajj with precautionary measures

— Haramain Sharifain (@hsharifain) May 9, 2021

However, the details of the operational plans for this year’s Hajj will be announced later.

Earlier, the authorities in the kingdom have made it compulsory for the pilgrims to get vaccinated from the designated COVID vaccine ahead of the Hajj 2021.

“The pilgrims will be bound to get vaccination ahead of the month of Zilhaj- most precisely two weeks ahead of visiting the kingdom- and had to provide a concrete evidence of getting a jab from WHO-certified vaccines,” it had said adding that the foreign pilgrims would have to undergo a COVID-19 test on their arrival in the kingdom.

Last year, Hajj that usually sees over 2.5 million Muslims travel to Makkah was curtailed for the first time in modern history to allow just 1,000 pilgrims to take part due to COVID-19. With borders closed due to the coronavirus, only those inside Saudi Arabia were able to attend.