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Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque has so far employed 750 guides to facilitate the navigation of Umrah pilgrims and to ensure measures in place against COVID-19 are being followed.

The Director of the body’s General Administration Crowd Control, Osama Al-Hujaili, said the 750 employees have been working around the clock to provide the best services to pilgrims at the Grand Mosque and to ensure they help and navigate them during their pilgrimage.

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Members of the civil security guards at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque have also been supporting the local guides through a 500-strong team.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia said it would be granting permits for those wishing to perform Umrah or visit the Holy sites during Ramadan on the condition they are vaccinated, according to a statement from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

The ministry specified that those wishing to receive the permits must have taken two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and based on their immunized status on the Tawakkalna app. It specified that this also applies to a person who has been vaccinated 14 days after receiving the first dose or a vaccinated person who has recovered from being infected.

Authorities also said it will impose a $2,666 (10,000 Saudi riyals) to those found attempting to perform Umrah during the Holy month of Ramadan without holding an official permit, according to a source from the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior.

Read more:

Saudi Arabia to grant Umrah permits during Ramadan for vaccinated people

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