In an emotional atmosphere filled with joy and tears, many Muslims have welcomed the Saudi decisions to lift COVID-19 precautionary measures.
According to the new rules, visitors will no longer need to show proof of vaccination to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
Visitors from abroad won’t need to register their vaccination status to obtain an Umrah permit.
“I am so glad! I am booking my Saudi visa to come perform Umrah in Ramadan and honestly I’m relieved that we won’t have to go through the process of doing PCRs, booking prayer permits every time we want to go to the Haram,” said Yassin Khan, a British citizen living in Dubai, The National News reported.
Social distancing measures in the Grand mosques were also cancelled, in addition to wearing masks.
Saudi Arabia eased restrictions in October saying face masks would no longer be mandatory in open spaces for people who are fully vaccinated.
Yet, they reinstated social distancing measures at the Grand Mosque in Makkah last December after recording the highest number of infections in months.
