Saudi Arabia will remove Covid-19 restrictions for Hajj this year and welcome back pre-pandemic numbers of pilgrims, the kingdom's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said on Monday.
The number of pilgrims has been limited since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, and even as the kingdom opened back up after successive lockdowns, age restrictions were put in place.
Access was restricted in 2022 to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunised against the coronavirus and did not suffer from chronic diseases. In 2020, numbers were limited to just 1,000 pilgrims from inside the kingdom, but last year, one million foreign pilgrims were welcomed.
The cost of medical insurance for Hajj has also dropped by more than 60 per cent to 88 riyals ($23) a person, the ministry said.
Earlier on Monday, Saudi authorities said those who had never performed Hajj would be given priority for the 2023 pilgrimage. Meanwhile, Umrah visas have been extended from 30 to 90 days to allow pilgrims the chance to explore the kingdom after the rituals.
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