Saudi Arabia to restrict Umrah permits to those who received two COVID vaccine doses

Saudi Arabia to restrict Umrah permits to those who received two COVID vaccine doses

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have announced they will restrict the issuance of Umrah permits to those who have received two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines in the Kingdom starting from Sunday, according to a statement.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that the rule will apply starting 6 a.m. on Sunday, October 1.

“Restricting the issuance of permits to perform Umrah and prayers in the Grand Mosque and to visit the Mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, for vaccinated people who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine approved in the Kingdom, and the cases excluded from taking the vaccine, as shown by the “Tawakulna” application,” the ministry said in a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency.

The ministry said those who have already completed the reservation received a permit to perform Umrah, a prayer or visitation rituals in Mecca or Medina but have not completed the two vaccination doses must take their second dose 48 hours before the date of the permit to avoid its cancellation.

The Ministry indicated that all precautionary and preventive measures related to the pandemic are subject to continuous evaluation by the Kingdom’s Public Health Authority (Weqaya), according to the developments