Saudi Arabia to forbid non-vaccinated pilgrims from performing Umrah

Saudi Arabia to forbid non-vaccinated pilgrims from performing Umrah from Ramadan onwards

Saudi Arabia is taking precautions to avoid new Covid outbreaks by banning non-vaccinated pilgrims from performing Umrah, starting from Ramadan.

MENA

2 min read

�� Staff & Agencies

05 April, 2021

Saudi Arabia is to permit umrah pilgrims only if they are vaccinated [AFP/Getty]

Saudi authorities said Monday only people vaccinated against will be allowed to perform the year-round starting from the holy month of .

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said in a statement that only "immunised people" will be granted permits to perform Umrah as well as prayers in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca.

This comes just days after the Saudi minister of health announced that only those who had received the jab would be

is a pilgrimmage to the Kaaba in Mecca that all Muslims must perform during their lifetime. It occurs just once a year.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, there have been restrictions on visiting Islam's holiest sites.

For instance, only 1,000 Saudi citizens were allowed to perform

Meanwhile, Riyadh only recommenced for foreign visitors on 1 November, after an eight-month pause.

This comes as Ramadan approaches, a time typically known for social gatherings in Muslim communities.

Fearing another outbreak of the virus, many other Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, have recently decided to For its part, Saudi Arabia will be during Ramadan in a bid to avoid infections.