Covid-19: Saudi Arabia allows full capacity attendance at Makkah, Madinah mosques

Riyadh - Masks no longer required in Saudi Arabia’s open spaces as curbs eased from October 17.

Saudi Arabia will ease Covid-19 curbs from October 17 in response to a sharp drop in daily infections, SPA reported on Friday.

The government will lift social distancing measures and allow full-capacity attendance at the country's two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, the agency added.

Social distancing regulations will also be dropped and public places, transport, restaurants, cinemas, and other gatherings will be allowed to operate at full capacity once again.

Masks in open spaces will no longer be mandatory for fully-vaccinated people, although members of the public must still wear them in closed spaces and areas that are not monitored by the Tawakkalna tracing app, the ministry added in a statement carried by SPA.

Worshippers who have received both vaccine doses will now be able to visit the mosque while wearing a mask and using the Umrah tracking app.

The same rules will apply to the Prophet (PBUH)'s Mosque in Madinah.

(This is a developing story)

• Saudi Arabia