Saudi Arabia Lifts Immunisation Checks At Two Holy Mosques

Saudi Arabia Lifts Immunisation Checks At Two Holy Mosques
Muslims, keeping a safe social distance, perform Umrah at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on October 4, 2020. ( John Salangsang/Invision / Reuters Archive )

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has scrapped the immunisation status check for people entering the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah from yesterday.

The ministry reviewed the most important developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic before lifting the precautionary measures against the spread of the coronavirus in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.

The ministry also cancelled the requirement of registering immunisation data to obtain an Umrah permit for pilgrims from outside the Kingdom.

Permits are no longer required to pray at the Grand Mosque or visit the Prophet’s Mosque but it is still mandatory to obtain permits for performing Umrah and visit Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifa in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

All social distancing measures in the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque are cancelled but wearing masks is still mandatory.

The ministry also noted the abolition of the requirement to submit a PCR test upon arrival for foreign pilgrims and the abolition of the requirement of institutional quarantine and home quarantine for pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom.

The ministry noted that the relevant health authorities continuously assess these measures according to the local epidemiological situation.

The Kingdom dropped most COVID-19 restrictions, including the requirement for travellers to present a negative PCR or rapid antigen test on arrival to the country, on Sunday. (Saudi Gazette)