The Saudi health ministry announced the lifting, on 23 March, of key COVID-19 travel requirements for those entering the Kingdom. Visitors arriving in Saudi Arabia no longer have to show proof of vaccination are not required to take a PCR test before departure or to quarantine when they arrive.
The decision was made due to a decrease in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, which have fallen to less than 4%. At the same time, the vaccination rate in the Kingdom has reached 99% among residents aged 12 years and above.
Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly announced the end of regular COVID-19 press conferences on 6 March, saying: “The Kingdom has almost overcome the pandemic completely, thanks to the expansion in the immunisation drive and enhanced community awareness programmes.”
Saudi Arabia has now lifted most preventive measures related to combatting the coronavirus pandemic. The Ministry of Interior removed the requirement to wear masks and to maintain social distancing in outdoor spaces. Masking is still required in mosques throughout the Kingdom, however, including at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
