YIDA, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Saudis who are vaccinated against the coronavirus will be able to leave the country for the first time in more than a year starting Monday, as the government begins to lift certain restrictions it had applied to curb the spread. of COVID-19.
For the past 14 months, the Saudis have been practically banned from leaving the country for fear that they will return with the virus and spread it in the nation of more than 30 million people. The ban has affected, among others, a large number of young Saudis who were studying abroad.
However, in recent months some 11.5 million Saudis have received at least one of the doses of the vaccine, so, thanks to the new rules, they can leave the country as of Monday. Others who will have permission are those who have recovered from the virus and those under 18 who have travel insurance.
Those wishing to leave the country will have to present their vaccination certificates before boarding the plane, using the government’s health app, Tawakkalna. Those arriving from abroad will need to quarantine themselves and get tested for the coronavirus.
Since the start of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has imposed some of the most severe restrictions in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For example, mosques and businesses had to close for weeks, borders were closed, and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca was drastically reduced.
However, certain countries that remain at high risk of contagion remain on the list of prohibited destinations, such as Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey and India.
Still, the Saudis will now be able to cross into neighboring Bahrain via the King Fahd Highway, local press reported. Bahrain, a small island nation, has somewhat more liberal regulations on the sale of liquor and is a popular destination for Saudis who want a short vacation.
Starting Monday, the national airline Saudia will offer flights to 71 destinations, including 43 international destinations such as Cairo, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Athens, Frankfurt, Washington and New York.
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Batrawy reported from Dubai.
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