Over 4 billion vaccines against Covid-19 have been administered worldwide. John Hopkins University reports it on its portal. Worldwide, confirmed cases of Coronavirus are 196 million, with over 4 million deaths.
South Arabia reopens to tourists
Saudi Arabia has announced that it will reopen its borders to vaccinated foreign tourists after a 17-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. This was reported by the Saudi national press agency. However, restrictions on pilgrimage to Mecca remain in force, which each year attracts millions of Muslims from all over the world. “The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists and lift the suspension of entry for holders of tourist visas from 1 August,” said the Saudi news agency. Travelers fully vaccinated with Saudi-approved vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) will be able to enter the kingdom “without complying with quarantine.” Saudi Arabia, which has invested billions in the tourism industry to diversify its oil economy, issued its first tourist visas in 2019. Between September 2019 and the border closure in March 2020, it issued 400,000 tourist visas. The Covid-19 epidemic has also imposed severe restrictions on pilgrimages to Mecca, open only to vaccinated pilgrims residing in the country.
.