Saudi Arabia has announced that it will allow pilgrims to perform Umrah starting from October 4 as it gradually begins lifting Covid-19 restrictions.
The kingdom has been under national lockdown for the past seven months due to the coronavirus pandemic and recently began easing some restrictions on international flights for the first time since March.
The Saudi government plans to allow up to 6,000 visitors a day at the Masjid Al Haram in Mecca, which will be open to Saudi citizens and residents only during this first phase.
Muslim travelers from outside Saudi Arabia could be allowed to perform the umrah as early as November 1, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The second phase launches in October allowing a maximum of 15,000 pilgrims and 40,000 in for prayer from among residents and citizens based on allocated times via an app that will be launched on September 27 to avoid crowding and maintain the social-distancing guideline
Before visitors can enter the mosque to pray or perform their pilgrimage, they will have to apply and reserve a specific time and date through an online application
Visitors can also select via the app their means of transportation and meeting points. The ministry said it will continuously evaluate these guidelines and developments related to the pandemic.
In July, the kingdom held a dramatically downsized hajj pilgrimage due to concerns that it could easily have become a global super-spreader event for the virus.
Pilgrims were selected after applying through an online portal and all were residents or citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Instead of the more than 2 million pilgrims, the kingdom hosts for the annual event, as little as 1,000 took part after being tested for the virus and quarantined.
Despite taking early and sweeping measures to contain the virus, Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 330,000 cases, including more than 4,500 deaths.
