RIYADH – Saudi Arabia on Tuesday restricted expatriates from traveling to the Kingdom from 20 countries including Pakistan to restrain the spread of the novel Covid-19, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Diplomats, medical staff, and their families are exempted from the newly imposed restriction.
The transitory ban, effective from today includes people arriving from Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, the United States of America, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Lebanon, Egypt, India, and Japan.
Temporary Suspension for Entry to the Kingdom for Non-Citizens, Diplomats, Health Practitioners and their Families Coming from 20 Countries, Starting at 21:00 on Wednesday 03/02/2021, the Interior Ministry announces.https://t.co/wOBLbnpw9G#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/JsFQQKuc9A
— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 2, 2021
The recent restriction comes amid a global resurgence in cases of COVID-19 linked to variations in the original coronavirus, first detected in England, South Africa, and Brazil, and fears that vaccines being rolled out worldwide may be less effective against them.
Earlier in December 2020, a similar ban was placed after a mutated strain of COVID-19 was identified in the United Kingdom.
