Saudi Arabia has lifted a mask mandate for indoor spaces even as COVID-19 infection numbers steadily climb past 1,000 new cases a day after reaching double-digit lows just two months ago.
Monday’s move comes as the kingdom prepares to welcome around 850,000 pilgrims from abroad to participate in the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The first batch of foreign pilgrims since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic began arriving from Indonesia earlier this month.
Masks will still be required at Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, where pilgrims gather for worship, according to the new rules. Organisers of events and festivals can continue to require masks if they wish.
The kingdom also dropped a rule requiring proof of vaccination on a mobile app that was needed to enter certain places, attend some events and board planes.
Both mask-wearing and use of the app have been sparsely enforced in recent months. The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely disrupted Muslim pilgrimages, which are usually key revenue earners for the kingdom, bringing in some $12bn annually.
Credit: Aljazeera.com
