June 14: Haj 2021 is scheduled to be held on July 17 as Saudi Arabia has introduced the latest travel restrictions, under which the country has permitted as many as 60,000 vaccinated citizens of the Kingdom to perform the pilgrimage this year.
The official statement read that this year’s Haj is “open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims“. Not opening the pilgrimage for the tourists outside the kingdom, this year’s Haj is only open for the vaccinated citizens of Saudi below the age of 65. Other than this, pilgrims must not have any chronic problems.
However, these measures have only been to place amid the ongoing Covid situation across the globe. The Hajj pilgrimage, each year, witnesses the presence of millions of pilgrims, however, it will only witness a lesser amount of people likewise last year when only 10,000 Muslims took part in the religious activity.
Also read: HCI orders mandatory Covid vaccine for citizens going for Haj pilgrimage
As quoted in one of their statements, the Hajj Ministry recently said, “In light of what the whole world is witnessing with the coronavirus pandemic… and the emergence of new variants, the relevant authorities have continued to monitor the global health situation. Considering the large crowds that perform Hajj, spending long periods of time in multiple and specific places… required the highest levels of health precautions.”
