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Saudi Arabia Issues Health Protocols for Hajj

VOA News

   Saudi Arabia has issuedhealthprotocols forthis year'supcoming Hajj
   pilgrimage.

   The restrictionsannouncedSunday by the kingdom's Center for Disease
   Prevention and Control are designed to prevent thespreadof the
   coronavirus.

   Saudi Arabia said last monththat only a limitednumberof people would be
   allowed to perform Hajj this year.

   The kingdom hadpreviouslyannouncedthe banning ofthe attendance
   ofMuslims fromabroadthis year, thefirsttime that has happened in modern
   times.

   The safety measures announced Sunday include:

   *the wearing of masksat all times, at allsites;

   *maintaining the social distance of at least a meter and a half between
   eachpilgrim;

   *the banning of touchingor kissingtheKaaba;

   *using only provided previously sterilized stones for the "stoning the
   devil" ritualthat will be performed with only 50 pilgrims at atime;and

   *the limiting of no more than 10 pilgrims tothe 50square meters of
   space allocated for tents.

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