Lifts 14-Day Quarantine Rules With Conditions For Congregants, Minister Of Religion Yaqut Flies To Saudi Arabia For Lobbying

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas stated, Saudi Arabia has removed the 14-day quarantine provision in third countries for prospective Umrah pilgrims. However, the congregation must meet the requirements of having been fully vaccinated plus one booster dose.

"Our latest communication is that there is no quarantine for those who have had two vaccines, only a booster is needed", said Minister of Religion Yaqut during a meeting with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives which was monitored virtually, Antara, Monday, August 30.

Saudi Arabia has suspended direct flights from several countries, including Indonesia because the transmission rate for COVID-19 is still high.

Saudi Arabia later softened and allowed the suspended country to send prospective pilgrims, on the condition that they must undergo a 14-day quarantine in a third country, before arriving in the Holy Land.

Now the 14-day quarantine rule has been removed. Instead, prospective Umrah pilgrims must have been vaccinated with two doses and received a booster dose of the four recommended vaccines, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

"I think we have to re-discuss this issue, so it's a bit difficult, but what can we do, this is the maximum we can do", he said.

Saudi Arabia has also recognized the Sinovac vaccine which is widely used in Indonesia. However, if you want to perform Umrah, you must receive a booster dose of the four vaccines recognized there.

Not only that, but prospective Umrah pilgrims are also absolutely required to attach a vaccine certificate. Indonesia, which mostly uses the Sinovac vaccine, must attach two vaccine certificates, namely Sinovac and booster.

"The QR Code for vaccine certificates is necessary for two Sinovac certificates plus a booster. Or if we use Sinopharm, well, Sinopharm plus booster is one of the four (vaccines)", he said.

According to Yaqut, his party will fly to Saudi Arabia to lobby for Indonesia to be released from the obligation to get an additional dose of vaccine.

"We will lobby, the name is also an effort, the results are certainly not our responsibility. We must continue to strive for", he said.