WHO Hails Saudi Measures to Protect Hajj Pilgrims

Gulf

July 30th, 6:46pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Pilgrims head toward Muzdalifa after spending the day in prayer on Mount Arafat. SPA

The World Health Organization lauded on Thursday the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to protect Hajj pilgrims amid the coronavirus pandemic. “I would like to congratulate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the steps it has put in place to make the Hajj as safe as possible this year,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “This is a powerful demonstration of the kinds of measures that countries can and must take to adapt to the new normal. It’s not easy but it can be done,” he told reporters from WHO’s Geneva headquarters. “The pandemic does not mean life has to stop. We must all learn to live with the virus and to take the steps necessary to live our lives while protecting ourselves and others specially those at the highest risk of COVID-19,” he added. Convincing younger people across the globe that the virus could pose a serious risk for their health remains a challenge for WHO, Tedros said. "We've said this before and we'll say it again: young people are not invincible," the WHO chief told the news briefing.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2421196/who-hails-saudi-measures-protect-hajj-pilgrims