Preparing for yet another exceptional Hajj season under the coronavirus pandemic, the Saudi Hajj and Umrah Ministry announced preparing a team of 40 official translators that speak 25 different languages to help guide this year’s 60,000 pilgrims.
With the coronavirus pandemic still affecting the world, the Kingdom had decided to limit the Hajj 2021 season to 60,000 pilgrims.
The pilgrims, both citizens and residents, were selected from within the Kingdom.
This move was taken to preserve the health and safety of pilgrims and ensure that the Hajj rituals are held in a safe and healthy environment with the application of preventive measures.
In a Wednesday press conference, the General Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques announced employing over 8,000 personnel to help execute this year’s extraordinary operational plan that focuses on preventive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus and ensure the safety of pilgrims.
The measures ordered by the Presidency include setting up thermal cameras at gates designated for pilgrims, establishing health centers inside the Grand Mosque in coordination with the Ministry of Health, and ensuring that all front-line employees are vaccinated.
More so, vaccines and masks will also be offered to pilgrims.
Additionally, the holy site will be washed and sterilized ten times daily, using approximately 60,000 liters of disinfectant materials per day. One hundred pieces of equipment will be designated for cleaning the site.
More than 4,000 cleaners and 11 robots will also be operating on hygiene maintenance.
The Presidency allocated 40 translators who speak 25 languages to help non-Arabic-speaking pilgrims. It also secured ten radio frequencies channels to broadcast in Mount Arafat and the Grand Mosque.
A live broadcast of the translations of the Quran and Sunnah channels will be played in both English and French.
The Presidency also took measures to distribute bottles of Zamzam water to pilgrims.
