Hajj drastically scaled down as COVID-19 reshapes pilgrimage

Small groups of Hajj pilgrims, wearing face masks, who had spent days in isolation, began arriving Wednesday from across Saudi Arabia at Islam’s holiest site in Mecca for this year’s scaled-down Hajj. 

Earlier this year Saudi officials announced that only a very limited number of people, who live in Saudi Arabia, will be allowed to attend Hajj due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Most years Hajj draws over two million pilgrims. This year the numbers will only be between 1,000 and 10,000 people and instead of standing and praying shoulder-to-shoulder, pilgrims will now adhere to social distancing regulations and move in small groups of 20. 

The Saudi government has not however released the exact numbers of pilgrims this year but for those who arrived on Wednesday, strict measures had to be followed before the start of Hajj. 

They were all tested for COVID-19, given wristbands that connect to their phones and track their movements and for days leading up to Wednesday, they were quarantined in their hotel rooms in Mecca. 

For this group, Hajj will end on Sunday and they will then be required to spend another week in quarantine. 

For months Mecca has been sealed off and no international media will be permitted to cover this year’s Hajj. Instead, the Saudi government broadcast live from the Grand Mosque on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, pilgrims will not be allowed to touch the Kaaba this year and other health measures have been introduced. 

Speaking to CNN, Assistant Deputy Minister for Preventative Health at the Saudi Ministry of Health, Dr. Abdullah Assiri said: “We are trying to apply the concept of safety bubbles, where every pilgrim will have an environment around him or her that are free and safe as much as possible from any kind of hazards, so all that is needed by the Hajjis is their personal protective equipment their hygiene products are provided free of charge.” 

But for millions of Muslims around the world, last month’s announcement by the Saudi government came as a heavy blow. 

For the government however it was a difficult decision but one it made as it battles a surge in Coronavirus cases. 

Saudi Arabia has recorded over 250,000 cases so far including 2,523 deaths – the highest toll among the Arab Gulf states.