As the Kingdom completes its evaluations of the problems posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, announcements on this year’s Hajj could be made in the coming days, according to the acting Saudi minister of communications, Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi.
Al-Qasabi stated during a press conference in Riyadh on Sunday that the Saudi authorities are monitoring (pandemic) developments and that the ministers of Hajj and Umrah, as well as health, would make a decision soon.
Due to COVID variations, he said it was critical to assess the impact of the virus’s spread carefully and accurately: “We don’t want this year’s Hajj to be an epicenter for the disease’s spread in the Kingdom or the Muslim world.”
Despite the extraordinary circumstances of the epidemic, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has worked hard to strengthen the services provided in the Hajj and Umrah sector.
“The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health, the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, and other relevant institutions continue to work together to help pilgrims and tourists undertake Hajj and Umrah with ease,” he stated.
Hajj plans should be announced latest by mid june to enable intending pilgrims know their fate.