RIYADH, 13 June 2021, (TON): State media reported that Saudi Arabia announced it will allow 60,000 vaccinated residents of the kingdom to perform the annual Haj.

According to the official Saudi Press Agency “the Haj ministry said this year's pilgrimage would be “open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims.”

It said that the pilgrimage, scheduled to be held at the end of July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are below 65 years of age with no chronic illnesses.

It will be the second year in a row that the kingdom hosts a downscaled Haj amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Only up to 10,000 Muslims took part in last year, a far cry from the 2.5 million who participated in the five-day annual pilgrimage in 2019.

In a relaxation of coronavirus curbs last October, Saudi Arabia opened the Grand Mosque for prayers for the first time in seven months and partially resumed the all-year-round Umrah pilgrimage.

The limit on Umrah pilgrims is 20,000 a day, with a total of 60,000 worshippers allowed to perform daily prayers at the mosque.