Hajj begins today with 1 mln pilgrims

Mina Camp

Hajj season, which lasts for six days, begins today, July 7, with pilgrims visiting Mina Holy Site.

The Hajj days includes At-Tarwiyah Day, the Day of Arafah, Day of Sacrifice and the three days of Al-Tashreeq.

Saudi Arabia decided to increase the number of pilgrims this year's hajj season to one million from inside and outside the Kingdom, in accordance with quotas for countries and health recommendations.

In June, the Kingdom decided to lift precautionary measures related to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which included not requiring indoor mask wear, with the exception of the Great Mosque, the Prophet's Mosque, and the places for which protocols are issued by the Public Health Authority (Weqaya), or facilities, activities, events and public transport that wish to apply higher levels of protection by continuing to require mask wear, while persisting to raise awareness and urge their use.

This year’s Hajj season is allowed to pilgrims under the age of 65 years, who have received the main COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health.

Pilgrims coming from outside Saudi Arabia are required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours before departure.

The Hajj seasons for the years 2019 and 2020 were limited to 10,000 and 60,000 pilgrims, respectively, due to COVID-19, according to data compiled by Argaam.

The table below illustrates the development of the number of pilgrims over the last 15 years:

*From inside the Kingdom