Saudi Arabia: Social Distancing to resume from today at Grand Mosques

“Social Distancing will resume from tomorrow at the Grand Mosques after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reimplements measures to fight the Covid-19 Pandemic,” General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques said.

In February 2020, Saudi Arabia announced a temporary suspension of entry for Muslims wanting to perform the Umrah pilgrimage in the Great Mosque of Mecca or to visit the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.

Further precautionary measures were taken regarding the safety of the Islamic holy sites, including temporary daily closure of the Great Mosque for sterilization purposes.

Saudi Arabia suspended the holding of daily prayers and the Friday prayers in and outside the two mosques in Mecca and Medina to limit the spread of coronavirus. Similar measures were carried out across the country during the same week.

The government suspended entry and praying to the general public at the two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

It announced that mosques will start to re-open from 31 May, except for the Great Mosque of Mecca.

In June, the state television announced that mosques in Mecca will be allowed to reopen from 21 June "if they follow preventative health measures against COVID-19. (ILKHA)