Indonesian Consul General: Umrah Pilgrims Must Be Discipline, Adhere to Health Protocols

Jeddah, MINA – The Indonesian Consul General for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Eko Hartono makes a note regarding the sending of Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking in a special interview with a team of MINA journalists online on Tuesday night, Eko Hartono said there are at least three things that need attention.

“First, there needs to be good education for the congregation regarding the current pandemic situation, because the behavior of the congregation is an important note for the Saudi Government. “There is a significant difference between a pandemic and normal conditions,” he said.

Second, the congregation must be disciplined and obey the rules that have been set. “In this sense, the Saudis are very serious about health protocols. So, don’t try to falsify the data and the results of the swab tests, “he explained.

Furthermore, the congregation must do quarantine before and after Umrah, at least three days before leaving and three days after arriving in the country.

Eko said in the implementation of the 2021 Hajj, Saudi Arabia would refer to the evaluation of the 2020 Umrah and Hajj during the pandemic.

According to him, Indonesia is given the honor by the Saudis to dispatch Umrah pilgrims at the beginning of the opening of the Umrah implementation during the pandemic, since November 1, 2020.

Indonesia has dispatched 433 Umrah pilgrims. They are divided into four waves of departure, namely groups departing on November 1, 3, 8 and 22, 2020.

In the previous Umrah implementation, 13 worshipers were confirmed positive after arriving in Saudi Arabia. As many as eight pilgrims departed in the first wave, the rest left in the second wave.

As a result, the pilgrims who departed in the first and second batches could not go on a pilgrimage to Medina because they had to undergo a longer quarantine process. While the 46 worshipers who departed in the third wave, all of them were not confirmed positive for Covid-19 so that apart from being able to carry out the Umrah pilgrimage, they could also make a pilgrimage to the Prophet’s Mosque, Medina. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)