Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – International media and local Saudi news reports that proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required to participate in the pilgrimage of Hajj this year.
Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said compulsory vaccination would be required for all pilgrims planning to attend the five-day pilgrimage in July. He however, did not specify which countries are allowed to attend Hajj, but emphasized the requirement of Covid-19 vaccination.
The Hajj pilgrimage were usually attended by at least 2.5 million people from across the world.
In 2020, Riyadh made the historic decision to restrict the number of pilgrims attending Hajj due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of the attendees were foreign residents, and one-third of those selected were security and medical staff from Saudi Arabia. Those allowed to perform Hajj were chosen through an online portal and required to be aged between 20 and 50. They were provided with prayer rugs and special attire to wear as safety measures.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is assembling vaccinated teams of healthcare workers in preparation for the Hajj 2021 in July.
Must prepare early to secure the manpower required to operate the health facilities in Makkah, the holy sites and Madinah, and the entry points for pilgrims for the 2021 Hajj season.
Saudi Health Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah
Meanwhile, the Saudi Health Ministry declared March 2 of each year the “Health Martyr Day” in recognition of the significant role played by the healthcare heroes, who devoted their lives to their work and people’s health.
The Saudi Arabian government announced special policies for Maldivian’s planning to go to Umrah during the current pandemic earlier this year.
