RIYADH -The authorities in Saudi Arabia have announced that pilgrims intending to perform Hajj this year must be Covid-19 vaccinated.
The Saudi the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed that ilgrims wishing to perform Hajj this year are required to complete all doses of COVID-19 vaccinations.
The ministry has also clarified that the Hajj pilgrims this year must also get the meningococcal vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The health requirements for performing the rituals of Hajj include that the pilgrim should not be suffering from acute chronic diseases or any infectious diseases, the ministry said.
Earlier, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah announced that the Kingdom will scrap all age requirements for pilgrims, three years after the Covid-19 pandemic slashed the number of pilgrims from 2.5 million to few thousand at one time.
Replacement of ‘Etamarna’ app with ‘Nusuk’
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also decided to do away with the Etamarna app and to extend all pilgrim-related services via Nusuk app.
The ministry said its decision to use Nusuk was aimed at facilitating registration procedures for the pilgrims.
The ministry has also confirmed that domestic pilgrims have the option of paying the Hajj package costs in three installments, instead of paying the full amount in one go as was the case during previous years.
