Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will soon announce the details of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
According to SPA, the ministers of health and Hajj will announce the details in the coming days.
“The minister of commerce on Sunday confirmed that the details of this year’s Hajj season will be announced by the ministers of health and Hajj in the coming days,” the SPA reported.
Speaking at a press conference Saudi minister of commerce, Majid Al-Qasabi said that that the “surge in the novel COVID-19 virus and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 vaccines have delayed announcing the details of the 2021 Hajj.”
He pointed out that there is no compulsion to take the COVID-19 vaccine, but it must be taken when a person desires to go to public places, government, and private departments, shopping places, schools, etc. “Human health comes first, and the Kingdom has taken strict precautionary measures in order to achieve this,” the minister said.
Saudi Arabia had earlier announced its intention to hold the Hajj rite this year in accordance with “preventive and precautionary measures” in anticipation of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced in a statement that the Kingdom “puts human health and safety first” and intends this year to hold the Hajj ritual in a “manner that ensures the preservation of the health and safety of pilgrims, in accordance with health, security and regulatory controls and standards that guarantee the preservation of their health.” They can perform their rituals easily and easily in a safe environment.
Saudi Ministry of Health had indicated earlier that with regard to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for pilgrims, the pilgrims must receive the full doses of the vaccine against the virus approved in the Kingdom, with proof of this by a documented certificate from the country wishing to perform Hajj.
The health minister pointed out that all pilgrims must submit a vaccination certificate with a negative result, proving that they are free of the COVID-19 virus, issued by a reliable laboratory in the country of the pilgrims, provided that the sample was taken 72 hours before traveling to Saudi Arabia.
Hajj was allowed last year and the gradual return of Umrah in October after developing a secure model, focusing on modern technology and digitizing procedures to provide pilgrims with the services they need through the various options offered by the ministry.
On June 3, Indonesia announced the cancellation of the Hajj pilgrimage for its citizens this year due to the spread and outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
