COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for hajj pilgrims

Nigerian pilgrims participating in this year’s Hajj have been mandated to get Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) vaccine passports, as one of the conditions for entry into Saudi Arabia.

Saudi’s Ministry of Health now requires all external pilgrims wishing to perform Hajj to take two doses of the World Health Organisation (WHO)-approved vaccine for COVID-19.

According to an official memo sighted by The Guardian yesterday, the intending pilgrim is required to receive the second jab at least one week before getting into the kingdom.

Similarly, the pilgrim will also need to obtain a certified and negative test of the COVID-19 PCR test, 72 hours before arrival in the kingdom.

The ministry will also require all pilgrims to be subjected to 72 hours of Mandatory Quarantine, which will only end after a negative PCR test.

“The ministry was also directed to exclude the most vulnerable groups from pilgrimage and limiting age groups to only 18 to 60 years old,” the letter added.