Saudi Arabia drops COVID-19 measures including indoor masks and vaccine requirement
June 13, 2022, 5:09 pm

Saudi Arabia drops COVID-19 measures including indoor masks and vaccine requirement

Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah waiting to receive the coronavirus vaccine. (File photo: AFP)

On Monday (June 13), Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior announced that the kingdom has dropped more COVID-19 measures, including indoor mask and proof of vaccination requirements for most places.

However, people will still be required to wear masks in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, places regulated by the Saudi Public Health Authority (Weqaya), and places and events that impose their own mask mandates, the Alarabiya English reported.

According to the official Saudi Press Agency, proof of vaccination in the Tawakkalna contact-tracing application is no longer needed to enter various facilities, participate in activities, attend events, or board planes or public transportation, with some exceptions. SPA did not elaborate on which categories were exempt.

The kingdom has dropped more COVID-19 measures, including indoor mask and proof of vaccination requirements for most places - Pic: Shutterstock

Also, the vaccination timeframe for Saudi Arabian citizens who want to travel abroad has been extended.

Travelers previously had to have received their third COVID-19 booster shot within three months of the second, but that timeframe has now been extended to eight months.

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COVID-19 restrictions in the Kingdom were loosened in March when outdoor mask mandates were dropped.

Social distancing measures, PCR tests for inbound travelers, and quarantine-on-arrival rules were also dropped in March.

The latest updates to COVID-19 measures come as the world and the Kingdom see a spike in case numbers.

Daily new COVID-19 cases breached the 1,000 mark on Wednesday for the first time since February, reaching 1,029.

According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 1,118 new cases and two virus-related deaths were recorded on Monday (June 13).

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The Kingdom has now recorded a total of 9,170 COVID-19-related deaths and 777,795 infections since the beginning of the pandemic.

According to Reuters data, it has rolled out a wide-reaching vaccination program, with enough doses to inoculate 96.1 percent of the population having been administered.

Case numbers in the neighboring United Arab Emirates have also spiked in recent weeks.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior on Monday stressed the importance of continuing efforts to combat the virus, including receiving booster doses of approved vaccines.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.