MAKKAH-- It's official: All of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) alongside a list of the new changes and the reasons behind them.
Visitors are no longer required to show their proof of vaccination certificate or PCR test upon arrival in Saudi, while quarantine requirements have also been removed. The announcement follows the significant reduction in the number of positive cases of Covid-19 in the Kingdom to less than 5% and with 99% of the eligible population now being vaccinated.
The tweet from the MOH also states that all social distancing measures in open and closed spaces have been discontinued. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah revealed that visitors no longer have to reserve prayer slots online for the Holy Mosques. However, the pilgrims who want to perform Umrah or pray in the Rawdah need to reserve their spots through the Tawakkalna or Eatmarna application.
In the education sector, school and university students no longer have to practice social distancing during assembly, prayer, or sports. Religious facilities too, do not require people to adhere to social distancing measures - including the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.
Saudi Arabian authorities are also urging the public to take vaccine booster shots and reminding them that the Tawakkalna application is needed for various public and private services.
