Umrah pilgrims must be vaccinated against COVID-19: Saudi Arabia

 

CAIRO – 5 April 2021: Those who intend to perform Umrah (small pilgrimage for the Muslims) to Saudi Arabia’s Mecca in the holy month of Ramadan, should be vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19), announced the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in a statement on Monday.

 

As per the announced procedure and health requirements to issue Umrah, prayer, and visit permits during the holy month of Ramadan, the pilgrims must be completed the doses of Covid-19 vaccine, or spending 14 days after taking the first dose of the vaccine, or recovered from the covid-19.

 

Last year, Saudi Arabia announced allowed the 2020 Islamic Pilgrimage (Hajj) for a very limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in Saudi Arabia.

 

Late February 2020, the Kingdom suspended the pilgrimage for its own citizens and residents over coronavirus spread fears. Later, Saudi Arabia in June 2020 reopened Al-Haram Mosque in the holy city of Mecca and Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi in the holy city of Medina after temporarily closing them for one night for sterilization.