Muslim pilgrims vaccinated against Covid-19 gathered yesterday for the annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, which has barred worshippers from abroad for a second year running due to the pandemic and has also restricted entry from inside the kingdom.
Clad in white and carrying umbrellas against the blistering summer sun, 60,000 Saudi citizens and residents are performing the rite, compared with some 2.5mn in 2019.
“I ask God to end the coronavirus, it made us very scared and made the situation very difficult,” said Palestinian pilgrim Hassan Jabari.
Saudi Arabia, which last year allowed a few thousand to perform the Haj, is home to the holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah. With the coronavirus the main concern this year, authorities have restricted access to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunised against the virus and do not suffer from chronic diseases.
Robots are being used to disinfect the Grand Mosque in Makkah and its courtyard and also to distribute bottles of zamzam water, pumped from a holy well in Makkah, to reduce human interaction and ensure physical distancing. Thermal cameras at entrances to the Grand Mosque monitor people’s temperatures. Around 3,000 electric carts have been provided for pilgrims, who also wear electronic identification bracelets connected to GPS.
Small groups of pilgrims wearing masks have since Saturday been circling the Kaaba and the direction which Muslims face to pray — as health professionals monitor their movements. The pilgrims then made their way to Mina, 7km northeast of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, where they will spend the day in prayer before heading to Mount Arafat.
Around 500 health volunteers are available to offer medical assistance and 62 screens were installed to broadcast awareness messages in different languages.
Over the years, the kingdom has spent billions of dollars on making one of the world’s biggest religious gatherings more secure. It is a major revenue earner for Saudi Arabia from worshippers’ lodging, transport, fees and gifts.
Pilgrims stand with their luggage as they arrive in the Mina area during the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Makkah, yesterday.
