Pilgrims arrive in Mecca for second Hajj during COVID pandemic

This year’s hajj will see only 60,000 fully vaccinated residents in Saudi Arabia take part in the five-day ritual.

Pilgrims began arriving in the holy city of Mecca on Saturday for the second downsized Hajj staged during the coronavirus pandemic, circling Islam’s holiest site in masks and on distanced paths. The kingdom is allowing only 60,000 fully vaccinated residents to take part, seeking to repeat last year’s success that saw no virus outbreak during the five-day ritual. This year’s Hajj, with participants chosen through a lottery, is larger than the pared-down version staged in 2020 but drastically smaller than in normal times.