Saudi Arabia’s Director of Public Security Khalid Bin Qarar Al-Harbi says Downsizing is only for the protection of the pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic this year on Hajj and the pilgrims are required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that performed over five days in the holy city of Makkah and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.
RIYADH: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 29th, 2020) As many as 10,000 Muslim pilgrims living in Saudi Arabia began the five-day annual Hajj pilgrimage amid safety protocols due to Coronavirus pandemic here on Wednesday.
The world largest gathering was seen on the occasion of Hajj every year. But this year only up to 10,000 already living in Saudi Arabia began the hajj amid fear of the global pandemic of Coronavirus.
“The downsizing is only for the protection of the pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic,” said Khalid bin Qarar Al-Harbi, the Saudi Arabia’s Director of Public Security. Pilgrims would be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that performed over five days in the holy city of Makkah and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.
All those selected to take part in the Hajj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Makkah at the weekend.
There were health workers who were sanitizing their luggage, and according to some reports some pilgrims were given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.
Hajj authorities cordoned off the Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims would not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection. They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims. The government also tightened access to Mecca for foreign press from coverage of this year’s hajj.
