On Saturday, the Saudi government eased COVID curbs and allowed 1 million people to join the Hajj pilgrims this year. The government will expand the key event to allow participants outside the nation after two years of restriction.
The Saudi Haj Ministry “has authorised one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the Haj”, which will take place in July.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said in a statement on April 9 that the pilgrims visiting Mecca must be under 65 years of age and should be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Visitors coming from different nations will be allowed on the basis of a negative COVID PCR test shall be taken within 72 hours of travel and health precautions must be taken. The authorities took special measures to reduce the spread of infection.
In 2021, Saudi Arabia lowered the annual limit to 60,000 domestic participants in Hajj, one of Islam’s five main pillars as compared to pre-pandemic 2.5 million.
As per the official data of Arabs, the visit to the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj and the lesser year-round umrah pilgrimage earned the country $12 billion a year.
