Cairo: Saudi Arabia has carried out a successful plan for regulating worshippers at the two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina in the first 20 days of the sacred Islamic month of Ramadan when visitors to both holy sites peak, a senior religious official has said.
“This year’s plan has made a major success in the first 20 days of the holy month of Ramadan by observing regulations and tightening the preventive health measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus,” chief of the General Presidency for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Abdulrahman Al Sudais, added.
The official hailed cooperation among different agencies operating at both sites and local authorities in Mecca and Medina.
He did not give specific figures about how many worshippers have been given access to the two mosques since the start of Ramadan.
Intense worshipping
Bracing up for a surge in the numbers of worshippers in the last 10 days, considered the most important part of the holy month, the General Presidency has designated around 4,000 workers for disinfecting and scenting workers across the Grand Mosque, which houses the Holy Kaaba, according to media reports.
The last 10 days of Ramadan, which include Lailyat Al Qadr (Night of Power) are marked by intense worshipping.
Three health centres have, meanwhile, been set up inside to provide emergency field medical aid.
Saudi authorities have increased capacity of the Grand Mosque to reach 50,000 Umrah pilgrims and 100,000 worshippers per day in Ramadan, which is usually a high season for the Umrah.
The ministry of Haj and Umrah announced that only “immunised” people against COVID-19 are permitted to visit the mosque.
It has defined the eligible “immunised” worshippers as those who have received two doses of vaccination against COVID-19; those receiving a single dose of inoculation at least 14 days in advance; and those who have recovered from the virus infection.
Stringent precautions
Permits to get access to the Grand Mosque are obtained via the smartphone apps “Eatmarna” and “Tawakklana”.
In October, Saudi Arabia set into motion a plan for gradual resumption of the Umrah after suspension of around seven months amid stringent precautions against COVID-19.
The first phase of the plan, which began on October 4, allowed 6,000 Umrah pilgrims from inside the kingdom per day into the mosque.
The second went into effect on October 18, allowing about 40,000 worshippers and 10,000 pilgrims a day into the site. As many as 20,000 Umrah pilgrims and 60,000 worshipers per day were allowed into the mosque according to the third phase that started in November.
