May 14, 2021
Saudi authorities announced April 5 that only people immunized against Covid-19 will be allowed to perform the minor pilgrimage from the start of Ramadan on April 14.
It was silent on what rules would apply for the five-day major hajj, which will begin this year on July 17.
The minor hajj is a pilgrimage taken any time during the year other than the five-day major hajj.
The Saudi Hajj Ministry said in a statement that three categories of people would be considered “immunized”—those who have received two doses of the vaccine, those administered a single dose at least 14 days prior to arriving in Saudi Arabia, and people who have recovered from the infection.
The new policy was announced amid an uptick in coronavirus infections in the kingdom.
The kingdom hosted the hajj in late July last year. But only 10,000 Muslim residents of Saudi Arabia were allowed to take part, a far cry from the 2.5 million Muslims from around the world who participated in 2019.
In a relaxation of corona-virus curbs last October, Saudi Arabia opened the Grand Mosque for prayers for the first time in seven months and partially resumed the minor pilgrimage.