Riyadh - Constitution
The National Center for Disease Prevention and Control in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced today the health protocols for the Hajj season of the current year 1441.
It is detailed as follows:
First: Regarding the environment, prevention, and social distancing
**General controls for service providers:
- It is prohibited to enter the holy places (Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat) without a permit, starting from the date of 11/28/1441 until the end of the twelfth day of Dhu al-Hijjah for the year 1441.
- Cases suspected of being infected, after being evaluated by a doctor, are allowed to complete the pilgrimage, so that they are attached to the group of suspected cases. A separate building or at least a residential floor, a bus, and a schedule for a suitable pilgrimage route are allocated for their situation.
- Not allowing any person in charge of the Hajj route who has flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat or sudden loss of sense of smell and taste) to work until the symptoms disappear and a decision to recover is obtained according to the attending physician’s report.
- It is necessary to wear masks for those in charge of the Hajj path, pilgrims and all workers at all times, and to dispose of them in the proper manner and in the designated place.
- The waiting of pilgrims at gathering points, baggage delivery and receipt, and restaurants must be organized by placing visible signs or stickers on the ground that guarantee a distance of one and a half meters between individuals.
- Preventing personal tools and equipment among pilgrims (such as: protective equipment, communication devices, clothes, shaving products, or towels).
- Determine the number of people allowed to use elevators, to ensure that the recommended social distancing distances are maintained.
- Using signs to ensure a distance of one and a half meters between people on escalators or regular stairs.
- Environmental surfaces must be disinfected on a scheduled periodic basis, with a focus on places where there is a high possibility of contact, especially such as reception points, seating seats, and waiting areas, as well as door handles, dining tables, seat cushions, etc., and after each use.
- Dirt must be removed with soap and water before each disinfection process, and for disinfection, the instructions contained in the practical guide for cleaning and disinfection of public facilities to combat “Covid-19” infection issued by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control should be followed.
- Making sure to purify toilets and bathrooms on a regular basis, and after ablution times for prayer, with approved disinfectants.
- Maintaining a record of disinfection times for surfaces and toilets.
- Distributing hand sanitizers and placing them in prominent places, in gathering areas, corridors and toilets.
- Ensuring good ventilation in all places where pilgrims and workers are.
- Trash and waste baskets must be of the type that works without the need for touching, and waste must be disposed of continuously.
- Placing hand sanitizers and instructional boards for hand disinfection next to interactive devices such as inquiry screens, ATMs, and vending machines.
- Remove all hard copies and paper magazines.
- Congregational prayer is permitted, with an emphasis on wearing a cloth mask during congregational prayer, keeping a distance between worshipers, and referring to the protocols of mosques.
** Concerning residential buildings:
- Employees must wear masks while working, including at reception stations, and before entering guest rooms.
- Guests are required to wear masks when outside the rooms.
- Environmental surfaces must be disinfected on a scheduled periodic basis, with a focus on places where there is a high possibility of contact, especially during the day, such as the reception station and waiting areas, as well as door handles, dining tables, seat cushions, elevator keys, and so on.
- The guests' bags and the baggage transport trolley must be disinfected periodically, and a worker must be assigned to take over this, and he must be trained in the disinfection process.
** Regarding food places
- Providing drinking water and Zamzam water in single-use packages for individuals.
- Removing or disabling all refrigerators in the Great Mosque of Mecca and the holy sites.
- Meals are limited to pre-prepared and packaged food, to be served individually to each pilgrim separately.
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers must be provided in any place designated for serving food, in clear view and within easy reach.
- Emphasizing workers to wash hands routinely and repeatedly for at least 40 seconds each time during work shifts, either by using water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer for a period of not less than 20 seconds in the event that soap and water are not available, especially at the following times:
1- Before starting food preparation and preparation
2- Before serving food to customers
3- After using the bathroom
4- After contact with body fluids and secretions
5- After direct contact with co-workers or passengers
6- After touching potentially contaminated items (such as gloves, clothes, masks, and waste)
7- Immediately after removing gloves or masks
- Using single-use plates, cups and other eating utensils when serving food, while cleaning the utensils well and making sure to disinfect them with an approved disinfectant and dry them before reusing them for serving food.
- It is allowed to use cloth covers on tables, with an emphasis on changing and cleaning them after each use. It is preferable to replace them with tables that are easy to clean after each use.
- Providing workers with personal protective equipment, such as cloth masks or what covers the nose and mouth, hair nets, and single-use body protective clothing.
- Workers who work in high-risk departments such as cooking, cooking, food production and beverage preparation should wear personal protective equipment on a routine basis and be changed frequently.
- Paper napkins should be distributed and placed on all tables.
- In the event that food is served in places designated for serving food, social distancing must be applied in the restaurant (between tables, places to receive orders, and waiting places) to ensure a distance of one and a half to two meters between individuals.
- Re-distributing food preparation and processing places to ensure the application of social distancing or placing a separation between food workers who face each other.
- Reducing the number of employees in the food preparation area and preventing overcrowding.
- Organizing the work of employees into groups or work teams in the form of shifts to reduce direct communication between groups.
Please also refer to the restaurants and cafes directory issued by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
** Concerning buses
- A bus shall be specified for each group and a seat number designated for the same pilgrim during the entire pilgrimage journey, and commitment to the same seat for all pilgrims throughout the journey.
- Pilgrims should not be allowed to stand inside the bus during the trip.
- Allow families to sit together as possible.
- Allocating different doors for boarding and disembarking, with the exception of people who have difficulty moving and need assistance.
- Bus work will be suspended until complete disinfection, in the event that a passenger is confirmed to be infected with “Covid-19” disease (according to the directives of the Ministry of Health).
- Providing hand sanitizers and sanitary papers in the passenger cabin, with at least three disinfectants distributed and installed inside each cabin.
- The number of passengers inside the bus throughout the duration of the trip should not exceed 50% of the total capacity of the bus, and maintain physical distance inside the bus by following the recommended policy and leaving at least an empty seat between each passenger and the other.
- It is preferable for passengers to carry their own luggage and personal belongings while boarding and inside the bus.
- Drivers and all passengers must wear cloth masks or anything that covers the nose and mouth at all times while on the bus.
- Drivers should avoid contact with passengers.
Please also refer to the bus guide issued by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
** Regarding men's barber shops
- A face shield must be used when serving the pilgrim, if available.
- Workers must wear gloves when serving pilgrims, and gloves must be changed after each pilgrim.
- Each pilgrim should be wrapped in a clean sheet and disposable gowns should be used after each pilgrim.
- Salon workers must use single-use protective neck straps and place them around the pilgrim's neck when cutting hair.
- Tools used after every pilgrim (gloves, shearing gown, etc.) must be immediately disposed of in a closed container.
- New shaving and cutting tools must be used for each pilgrim, such as combs, razors, and others.
- It is recommended that the service be provided to the pilgrim by the worker of the group, and it is forbidden for the worker to move between groups.
- The barber's chair, especially the armrest, must be cleaned and disinfected, as well as barber tools such as combs, brushes, and tool carts.
Please also refer to the guide for men's barber shops issued by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
** Concerning Arafah and Muzdalifah
- Obligation to reside in the designated places and not deviate from the path designated by the organizer.
- Emphasizing the obligation to wear masks at all times for pilgrims while performing the ritual.
- The food offered during the performance of these rituals must be limited to the pre-packaged food only.
- Preventing gatherings and meetings and maintaining the recommended social distances between pilgrims.
- The pilgrims are distributed among the tents so that their number does not exceed 10 pilgrims per 50 square meters of the area of the tents, while maintaining a distance of at least 1.5 meters between each pilgrim and the other from all sides.
- Preventing crowding at public bathrooms and ablution washbasins by placing floor stickers or disabling the use of a number of bathrooms or washbasins to ensure a safe distance of one and a half meters between each person.
** Throwing pebbles
- Providing pilgrims with pre-sterilized pebbles and placed or wrapped in sealed bags by the organizer.
- The pilgrims must be dispatched to the Jamarat facility so that the number of pilgrims who stone the Jamarat at the same time does not exceed one group (50 pilgrims) for each floor of the Jamarat facility, or to ensure a distance of at least one and a half to two meters between each person and the other during the performance of the ritual. Throwing pebbles.
- Providing sufficient masks and sterilization materials for all pilgrims and workers on the way of the stoning ritual.
** Concerning the Great Mosque of Mecca
- The pilgrims should be scheduled to go to the circumambulation bowl to ensure a distance of at least one and a half meters between each person and another, and to reduce overcrowding with male organizers to ensure that the two pilgrims are organized.
- Distributing pilgrims on all floors of the quest, with paths to ensure the recommended physical spacing
- It is necessary to reduce personal contact between the visitors of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, prevent gatherings in general, and adhere to social distancing, provided that there is a distance between each person and the other, a distance of not less than one and a half meters, and the supervision of its implementation by security men.
- It is forbidden to touch or kiss the Holy Kaaba or the Black Stone, and barriers and supervisors are placed to prevent proximity to these barriers.
- Specific entrances and exits must be allocated, with organizers placed at the doors to ensure the process of entry and exit of pilgrims, prevent crowding and jostling, and ensure that there are distances between them, provided that the organizers are security men.
- Preventing crowding at Zamzam water coolers for drinking and placing floor stickers to ensure social distancing, while preventing pilgrims from using water storage tools and cans used to store Zamzam water
- It is forbidden to bring food to the Great Mosque of Mecca or to eat in the outdoor squares.
- Preventing crowding at bathrooms and ablution sinks by placing floor stickers or disabling the use of a number of bathrooms or washbasins to ensure a safe distance of one and a half meters between each person and another, with the necessity of the presence of supervisors.
- Distributing hand sanitizers in small packages and paper tissues to pilgrims during the journey to the Great Mosque of Mecca.
- The nave area and the Masa'a area must be disinfected periodically before and after each circumambulation of the pilgrims' regiment.
- The carpets of the Great Mosque of Mecca are lifted and personal carpets are used by pilgrims.
- Used chairs and strollers must be disinfected continuously and after each use.
- Periodically cleaning and disinfecting places where shoes are placed.
- Cleaning and disinfection of toilets on a daily basis, taking care of good ventilation and reducing the temperature in them.
Second: With regard to reporting and monitoring symptoms
- Setting up a check point at all entrances (housing entrance, bus assembly points, the Great Mosque of Mecca, etc.) that includes measuring the temperature with a device approved by the Food and Drug General Authority and asking about the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sudden loss For the sense of taste and smell, runny nose for all pilgrims.
- The temperature of all those in charge of the Hajj path to serve the pilgrims and all workers must be measured daily and the temperature recorded.
- Installing the applications approved by the Ministry of Health (Tatman – Tawakkalna – Tabad) on smart devices and activating the location and Bluetooth feature on the device and logging in to them.
- Preparing medical points or clinics inside the residential buildings that operate around the clock.
- Equipping teams, ambulances, and a mobile intensive care bus at the residence buildings, so that they move to accompany the pilgrims when they go to perform all rituals.
- Preparing a room or role to isolate suspected cases from those in charge of the Hajj path, employees or pilgrims inside residential buildings and all facilities, so that communication with the competent authorities and the necessary procedures can be taken.
- Requiring all employees, pilgrims and workers to disclose when they feel respiratory symptoms or fever.
- Reporting a case that has a high temperature or respiratory symptoms (cough or shortness of breath) and is suspected of having “Covid-19” and specifying the data and contact numbers for the case to transfer the case to the hospital.
- A hotline is activated between the medical points inside the residential buildings and the medical director of Hajj and the General Directorate of Health Affairs in Makkah Al-Mukarramah Region.
- In the event that a confirmed case is registered among one of the employees, pilgrims or workers, the procedures and precautions mentioned in the guide for dealing with suspected or confirmed cases of "Covid-19" disease at the workplace and issued by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control must be applied.
- In the event that there is housing for workers, an isolation room must be prepared for suspected cases in the residence designated for them in order for them to be isolated in it until they are contacted by the competent authorities.
- Everyone is followed up for a period of two weeks for any symptoms, and the available technology programs such as Tatamman, Tawakkolna, Tabad and electronic bracelets continue to be used, and home quarantine is adhered to for a period of two weeks after the Hajj trip.
Third: Awareness and communication
- Posting awareness posters at all entrances and prominent places, to be written in different languages, and to include the following:
1- Methods of disease spread and prevention.
2- Raising awareness of hand washing and avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth before washing hands, and urging attention to personal care and health care.
3- Follow the etiquette of sneezing and coughing (use tissues and dispose of them as soon as possible, using the elbow by bending the arm).
- Spreading the culture of using alcohol-based hand sanitizer bottles correctly among those in charge of the Hajj path, employees and pilgrims.
Fourth: Implementation
- Placing a board that includes a statement of the violating acts and the method of reporting them.
- Establish communication channels to report any breach of requirements and report violations in order to work to avoid them, and one of the employees will be responsible for them.
- Training officials at the inspection points on the examination method and the use of the temperature measuring device.
- Assigning a health monitor to ensure the implementation of the requirements and instructions and to follow up on the health status of the pilgrims.
- Conducting mandatory health and safety trainings on "Covid-19" disease for all employees and those in charge of the Hajj path.
(Saudi Okaz)