MM News

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is considering barring overseas pilgrims from the annual Haj for the second year as the COVID-19 situation continues to worsen, according to sources.

According to an international news agency, the pilgrimage would be restricted to vaccinated nationals and residents, as well as those who have recovered from the virus at least six months prior to attending.

Authorities have yet to take a final decision, the news agency said. Initial plans to allow some vaccinated pilgrims from abroad were suspended given confusion over types of vaccines, their efficacy and the emergence of variants.

Saudi Arabia barred foreigners from the haj last year due to the pandemic for the first time in the kingdom’s modern history, allowing it only to a limited number of Saudi citizens and residents.

COVID-19 infections are still rising in 35 countries globally. There have been at least 153,508,000 reported infections and 3,351,000 reported deaths caused by the new coronavirus so far.

Before the pandemic enforced social distancing globally, some 2.5 million pilgrims used to visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj. As part of economic reform plans, the kingdom was hoping to raise the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020.

In February, the government suspended entry to the kingdom from 20 countries, with the exception of diplomats, Saudi citizens, medical practitioners and their families, to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The ban, which is still in place to date, includes people arriving from the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States, Britain, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India and Pakistan.