Saudi Arabia: Face masks no longer required to be worn in public spaces

Saudi Arabia: Face masks no longer required to be worn in public spaces

Saudi Arabia has introduced sweeping new measures to ease Covid-19 restrictions in the country in light of a fall in the number of reported cases in the country. Starting Sunday, October 17, an official source at the Ministry of Interior said that wearing masks is no longer mandatory in open places, except for the excluded places, while continuing to be mandatory in closed areas. A separate set of easing of restrictions will apply to those who have received both doses of the vaccine. For these individuals, there will be no social distancing measures for them to observe at social gatherings, in public places, means of transportation, restaurants, and cinemas. These spaces will also be allowed to operate at full capacity. Furthermore, there will no longer be any restrictions on the number of attendees of at events in wedding halls. The authorities have also announced that the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah will be permitted to operate at full capacity. However, face masks are mandatory for visitors and workers at all times at both these mosques. The Eatmarna or Tawakkalna apps will continue to be used for obtaining a permit to perform Umrah, obtaining a permit