Vaccinated pilgrims gather for haj as COVID restrictions limit numbers

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MECCA, Saudi Arabia, July 18 (Reuters) – Muslim pilgrims vaccinated against COVID-19 gathered on Sunday for the annual haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, which banned worshipers from abroad for the second year in a row due to pandemic and also restricted entry from inside the kingdom.

Dressed in white and carrying umbrellas against the scorching summer sun, 60,000 Saudi citizens and residents perform the rite, a unique duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, up from some 2.5 million in 2019.

“I ask God to end the coronavirus, it scared us very much and made the situation very difficult,” said Palestinian pilgrim Hassan Jabari.

Saudi Arabia, which allowed a few thousand people to perform the haj last year, is home to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, and the country is working to ensure a peaceful haj , which has been marred in the past by deadly crushes, fires and riots.

With the coronavirus being the main concern this year, authorities have restricted access to pilgrims between the ages of 18 and 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunized against the virus and do not suffer from chronic illnesses.

Robots are used to disinfect the Great Mosque of Mecca and its courtyard and also to distribute bottles of zamzam water, pumped from a sacred well in Mecca, to reduce human interactions and ensure the physical distancing.

Thermal cameras at the entrances to the Grand Mosque monitor people’s temperatures. Around 3,000 electric carts have been made available to pilgrims, who also wear electronic identification bracelets connected to GPS.

Small groups of pilgrims wearing masks have been circling around the Kaaba – a stone structure that is Islam’s holiest and the direction Muslims turn to pray – since Saturday, as medical professionals keep watch. movements.

The pilgrims then proceeded to Mina, 7 km northeast of the Great Mosque of Mecca, where they will spend the day in prayer before heading to Mount Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon.

About 500 health volunteers are available to provide medical assistance and 62 screens have been installed to broadcast awareness messages in different languages.

Over the years, the kingdom has spent billions of dollars to secure one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It is a major source of income for Saudi Arabia from accommodation, transportation, honoraria and gifts from worshipers.

Reporting by Marwa Rashad in London, Ghaida Ghantous in Dubai and the Reuters multimedia team in Mecca; Editing by Jane Merriman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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