Saudi makes 48-hour negative Covid test mandatory for Umrah pilgrims

Umrah pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia must present either a negative Covid-19 PCR test result or a negative rapid antigen test result taken within 48 hours from the date of departure.

The directive applies to all pilgrims, irrespective of their immunisation status, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has said.

The ministry added that the new ruling will come into effect on 1am, February 9, 2022, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Updates Entry Procedures for Umrah Performers and Visitors to the Kingdom.https://t.co/RnfE3E0W6t#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/r4fzskYKaL

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) February 7, 2022

Saudi announced last week that its citizens who wanted to travel abroad are mandated to take the third Covid-19 vaccine booster shot. The directive applies to all citizens who want to travel outside the country and have received the second jab more than three months ago, effective February 9.

Read: Saudi mandates Covid-19 booster shot for citizens travelling abroad

Citizens who have received two jabs of any of the kingdom-approved vaccines and then tested positive for Covid-19 abroad, will be allowed to enter the kingdom without the need of another PCR test so long as seven days have lapsed from the date of testing positive.

Those citizens who are not fully vaccinated with a kingdom-approved vaccine and tested positive for the contagion abroad, will also be permitted to enter the country without the need of another PCR test, so long as 10 days have passed from the date of testing positive.

The kingdom reported 3,747 new Covid-19 cases on February 7, raising the total nationwide case count to 712,644.

#الصحة تعلن عن تسجيل (3747) حالة إصابة جديدة بفيروس كورونا (كوفيد-19)، وتسجيل (3) حالات وفاة رحمهم الله، وتسجيل (4083) حالة تعافي ليصبح إجمالي عدد الحالات المتعافية (670,780) حالة ولله الحمد. pic.twitter.com/hHQsAC1qDs

— وزارة الصحة السعودية (@SaudiMOH) February 7, 2022