Thousands of people in white robes in Mecca on Sunday served a few thousand people after Saudi Arabia lifted several months of coronavirus sanctions.
The state took a rare step in early March
to suspend millions of years of small "Umrah" pilgrimages from around
the world when the coronavirus became a global epidemic and countries were
locked down to reduce migration and Curfew was imposed.
But as nations began to ease restrictions,
the Saudi government on Sunday began allowing a maximum of 6,000 pilgrims a day
to enter the vast mosque in Mecca. During this first phase of reopening, only
Saudi citizens and residents will be allowed’ to enter the mosque and each a person has three hours to complete the Hajj.
The Grand Mosque, which is being
sterilized and cleaned several times a day, has a cube-shaped Kaaba, which Muslims
visit five times a day.
Before visitors can enter the mosque to
perform Umrah or perform prayers, they must apply a specific time and date
through an online application and are required to avoid crowds and maintain
social distance. Visitors can select their means of transportation and meeting
point through the app.
State TV showed on Sunday that there were
less than 50 people circling the Kaaba at the same time and walking several
meters (feet) away. In general, the mosque was filled’ with worshipers from all
over the world, day and night, shoulder to shoulder.
The second phase of easing restrictions at
the Grand Mosque will take effect on October 18, allowing a maximum of 15,000
pilgrims and 40,000 prayers between residents and citizens based on the time
allotted through the app. Is.
The Interior Ministry has said that Muslim
travelers from outside Saudi Arabia may be allowed’ to perform Umrah until
November 1. Saudi Arabia recently began easing some restrictions on
international flights for the first time since March.
In July, the country held a dramatically
reduced, symbolic pilgrimage amid fears that it could easily become a global
outbreak for the virus. The applicants were selected’ after applying through an
online portal and were all residents or citizens of Saudi Arabia. The kingdom
hosted an annual event for more than 200,000 pilgrims; with 1,000 people,
taking part after the virus was tested’ and imprisoned.
Despite initial and clear steps to control
the virus, about 3336,000 cases have been recorded’ in Saudi Arabia, including
4,850 deaths.
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