Muslims who wish to perform Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, in Saudi Arabia this year will have to comply with strict vaccination requirements amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Ministry of Health, pilgrims from all countries must have taken two COVID-19 vaccines in Saudi Arabia include: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covovax, Nuvaxoid, Sinophram, Sinovac, Covaxin, Sputnik-V, and Janssen (1 shot).
In addition to the COVID-19 vaccines, pilgrims must also be vaccinated against seasonal influenza and meningitis. They must also present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before departure for the Kingdom. Their age should not exceed 65 years.
The vaccination requirements are part of the preventive measures taken by the Saudi authorities to ensure the safety and health of the pilgrims and the residents of the holy sites. The Hajj season this year will take place from June 26 to July 1. Saudi Arabia has lifted the age and travel limitations that were imposed last year due to the pandemic and expects to welcome back pre-pandemic numbers of pilgrims. In 2019, an estimated 2.5 million Muslims performed Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
