Saudi Arabia to permit 1m Haj pioneers

Saudi Arabia to permit 1m Haj pioneers

Saudi Arabia to permit 1m Haj pioneers

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it will allow 1,000,000 Muslims from inside and outside the country to take part in the current year's Hajj, a sharp increase after pandemic limitations constrained two years of definitely pared-down journeys.

Nonetheless, the journey, which will occur in July, will be restricted to Muslims under age 65 and completely immunized against the Covid, the service of Haj and Umrah said in an explanation conveyed by the SPA news office.

Those approaching from outside Saudi Arabia, who should apply for Haj visas, will this year likewise be expected to present a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken in the span of 72 hours of movement. Numerous Muslims outside the realm have been banished from making the excursion starting around 2019.

Around 2.5m individuals partook in 2019.

Pioneers should be under age 65 and completely immunized against Covid

In any case, after the beginning of the Covid pandemic in 2020, Saudi specialists permitted just 1,000 explorers to partake. The next year, they increased the complete to 60,000 completely immunized Saudi residents and inhabitants picked through a lottery.

This year the Saudi Haj service "has approved 1,000,000 pioneers, both unfamiliar and homegrown, to play out the Haj," it said in a pre-day break proclamation on Saturday.

The public authority needs to advance travelers' wellbeing "while at the same time guaranteeing that the greatest number of Muslims overall can play out the Haj", the assertion said.

Specialists took various exceptional measures to lessen the spread of the Covid last year, including separating pioneers into gatherings of 20 and distributing sanitizers, veils and disinfected rocks for the "stoning of Satan" custom.

However, the generally little groups were troubling to Muslims abroad.