Saudi Arabia reopens Mecca for Umrah pilgrimage after 7-month pause for COVID-19 crisis

As Saudi Arabia reopened Mecca for Umrah pilgrim from Sunday, October 4, after seven months of COVID-19 lockdown that prompted its suspension, hundreds of pilgrims start to trickle into holy city. According to Saudi Arabia's interior ministry, kingdom will restart umrah pilgrim in three phases; initially, only 6,000 people from inside country will be allowed to take part each day.

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kingdom informed that first phase will see umrah being performed within a specified period of time before number of worshippers allowed each day is increased to 15,000 on October 18. About 40,000 pilgrims will be allowed to pray inside mosque by n. Foreign pilgrims will be allowed from vember 1 and capacity will be increased to 20,000 with 60,000 allowed to pray inside mosque.  

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health protocol states that pilgrims will t be allowed to gar and meetings will be banned in order to ensure minimal physical contact between visitors. Pilgrims will be divided into groups to ensure social distancing inside mosque. Those who wish to perform umrah this year can apply through two separate mobile applications, one for a permit and ar for confirming that pilgrim is free of COVID-19. 

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Hajj pilgrim

In July, Saudi Arabia opened Hajj for domestic pilgrims. Worshippers were t allowed to touch Kaaba this year, for first time in recorded history. Only those with Hajj permits were allowed to visit Mona, Muzdalifah, and Arafat starting July 19 until August 2. Though this was t first time when such restrictions were placed on Hajj visit, but is probably first time when international pilgrims were banned from visiting grand mosque. 

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(Im Credit: AP)