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Join on Telegram Rabat – Saudi Arabia is planning to ban people from overseas to perform the annual hajj in 2021 amid fears of spreading COVID-19 and its new variants.
Reuters quoted two sources familiar with the Saudi plan, saying that the Gulf country is planning to only permit nationals and residents who were vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 at least six months before the Hajj rituals.
If Saudi Arabia announces the measure officially, this will be the second year the Gulf country bans people from entering the country to perform Hajj.
In 2020, Saudi authorities only allowed Hajj for its residents due to the pandemic.
Morocco’s Royal Committee for Hajj reimbursed 34,000 Moroccans, who made payments to participate in Hajj 2020.
CNN said in 2020 that Saudi Arabia restricted Hajj pilgrimage to 1,000. Over 2.5 million people from across the world travel to Mecca to perform Hajj.
Saudi Arabia will impose various restrictions this year, including the age of participants.
Reuters sources said Saudi Arabia was planning to allow vaccinated people to perform Hajj.
“Confusion over types of vaccines, their efficacy and the emergence of new variants has pushed officials to reconsider,” the source told Reuters.
Arab News reported that Saudi Arabia recorded 12 COVID-19 related deaths on Monday and 1,016 cases, bringing the total number of cases to 422, 316.
The country also reported 405, 607 recoveries.
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase, with authorities across the world expressing worries and concerns regarding the emergence of new variants, including the Indian and British strains.
The world has recorded over 154 million cases, including 91 million recoveries, and 3.23 million deaths to date, according to global data.
The US continues to top the list of cases, with 32.5 million cases, followed by India, and Brazil.
