Cairo: As Saudi Arabia is gearing up for a scaled-down Hajj season amid fears of the new coronavirus, authorities in the kingdom have given utmost attention to health care of the pilgrims who will next week perform the major Islamic duty under exceptional circumstances.
As part of the health precautions, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has dispatched to each pilgrim a bag containing a protective face mask, a shaving instruments, persobal care tools, ritual stones, a toothpick, an umbrella and a prayer rug, online newspaper Sabq reported.
Other contents are the ihram or a seamless terry cloth garments worn during the Hajj rituals, comfort tools such an earplug and an eye cover as well as unscented sanitiser and a Hajj guidebook.
Saudi Arabia has announced that 70 per cent of this year’s pilgrims will be expatriate residents while the remaining 30 per cent will be Saudis. The expatriates wishing to perform this year’s Hajj had to meet certain health conditions.
They should not be sufferers of any chronic diseases, and provide a negative PCR test proving that they are free of coronavirus. The applicants should not have previously performed the Hajj, should be aged between 20 to 50 years, and sign a pledge to adhering to the quarantine period before and after performing the Hajj rituals.
The 30 per cent of Saudi pilgrims are limited to Saudi health practitioners and security men who have recovered from COVID-19. They are selected from a database of recovered patients, in recognition of their role during the battle against the virus provided they meet the related health criteria.
All the pilgrims are now in home isolation, preparing for the Hajj beginning this year on July 29.
Last month, Saudi Arabia announced holding this year’s Hajj with a very limited number, confined to Saudis and non-Saudis of all nationalities who are already residing in the kingdom.
