AMN/ WEB DESK
Saudi Arabia has restricted the annual Haj pilgrimage to its own citizens and residents for the second year running in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. According to the state Saudi Press Agency, SPA, only people aged between 18 and 65 years who have been vaccinated or immunised from the virus and are free of chronic diseases, will be able to take part. The ministry that manages the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca also set a maximum of 60,000 participants.
Saudi Arabian Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said that the decision was made to guarantee the safety of Haj amid uncertainty over the Coronavirus. He added that despite the availability of vaccine, there is uncertainty over the virus and some countries still record high numbers of COVID cases with different variants of the virus.
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 and the lesser, year-round umrah pilgrimage. According to the official data, the pilgrimage altogether earns the kingdom about 12 billion US Dollars a year.