Cairo: All non-Saudi unvaccinated arrivals in the kingdom from non-banned countries will undergo institutional quarantine starting May 20 as part of efforts to curtail the spread of COVID-19, an official source at the Interior Ministry has said.
Those travellers are also required to obtain a valid health insurance document approved by Saudi authorities to cover the risks of coronavirus, the source added.
Exempted from the measure are certain categories. They include Saudi citizens, their spouses, sons and daughters, and domestic workers accompanying them, official delegations, holders of diplomatic visas, diplomats and their families residing with them.
Other exempted categories also comprise airline and sea crews, truck drivers and their assistants from all ports as well as those linked to health supply chains, as defined by the Health Ministry. The exempted categories, except the vaccinated ones, will undergo domestic quarantine, according to the source.
Last February, Saudi Arabia suspended flights with 20 countries as part of coronavirus-controlled curbs.
The list includes Argentina, the UAE, France, Germany, the US, Indonesia, India, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Pakistan, Brazil, Portugal, the UK, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, the Swiss Confederation, Lebanon, and Egypt.
The ban also covers arrivals from other countries who have transited any of the 20 countries during the 14 days prior to applying to enter Saudi Arabia.
