After the pandemic, foreign Muslims will finally get to perform the holy ritual of Umrah in 2022. Umrah is a pilgrimage that Muslims perform by visiting the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and performing a number of religious rituals. Due to the Covid19 pandemic, people were forbidden to travel to Saudi Arabia and perform Umrah. Now, these restrictions have been lifted and people are welcome to perform this pilgrimage with certain restrictions.
Vaccination requirements:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reported that they are open for Umrah in 2022. But due to Covid19, Saudi Arabia vaccine requirements are strict. Muslims coming to Saudi from different parts of the world need to present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before departure for the Kingdom. Along with presenting a negative PCR test, a valid health insurance policy must be presented to the airline to cover the risks that may result from infection with Covid19, this is included in the Umrah requirements Covid.
Which covid vaccine required for Umrah?
Vaccinated travelers will not have to quarantine, as long as they provide proof of full vaccine doses before and after arrival. The vaccine taken by the foreign pilgrims has to be the one approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health
- Pfizer
- AstraZeneca
- Moderna
- Johnson & Johnson
The health regulations include;
- You must be vaccinated against yellow fever. Travelers from countries at risk of this virus need to show proof of vaccination, and foreign pilgrims have to be vaccinated at least ten days and at most ten years before arrival in the Kingdom. In case, such proof is absent, the individual will be placed under strict surveillance for six days.
- Visitors from all over the globe are required to show proof of vaccination with the quadrivalent vaccine against meningitis issued no more than three years and no less than 10 days before arrival in the Kingdom.
- All foreign pilgrims from polio-endemic countries have to get at least one dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine at least 6 weeks before their arrival in Saudi Arabia. And these travelers will receive 1 dose of OPV at border points on their arrival. Travelers under the age of 15 should be vaccinated against poliomyelitis with OPV.
- International pilgrims should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza before they arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, especially those who are more at risk of severe influenza cases such as pregnant women, children under the age of 5, and individuals with health conditions such as HIV, asthma and chronic heart or lung diseases.
Some general guidelines:
Umrah covid restrictions are strict but it is so for the benefit of everyone’s health. Performing this pilgrimage is extremely important for Muslims all over the world but the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that it should be performed safely. They recommend that people with severe diseases such as (heart disease, lung disease) and terminal illnesses should refrain from performing the hajj and Umrah this year, this is for their safety.
Along with all the necessary vaccination requirements, there are certain guidelines that you should follow;
- Wash hands with soap and water, especially after coughing and sneezing
- Carry a hand sanitizer with you at all times
- Try to avoid hand contact with the eyes, nose, and mouth
- Avoid direct contact at all costs with an infected person and do not share items with them.
- Wear a mask, especially in huge crowds
To sum it up:
All these requirements and guidelines are in place to protect people from falling sick. After the pandemic, Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages are finally open to foreign pilgrims. These holy rituals should be performed in the safest manner possible. If you go with 7 days Umrah package from Pakistan through a top class service provider then all of these issues will be taken care by them.
