Riyadh, May 10 (BNA): All  passengers arriving in Saudi Arabia from countries that are not included in the travel suspension will be subject to an institutional quarantine.

“This step, which comes in line with the efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to curb the spread of the (Covid-19), and based on recommendations by the competent health authorities, will go into force starting Thursday, May 20, 2021”, said An official source at the Ministry of Interior.

The ministry’s statement excluded the following categories from the institutional quarantine, affirming the importance of adhering to precautionary measures approved by the Ministry of Health:

First: Arrivals via airports, including Male and Female citizens and their spouses, daughters and sons of female citizens, and domestic workers accompanying any of the aforementioned groups; unvaccinated domestic workers accompanying an immune resident; immune individuals; official delegations; holders of a diplomatic visa, diplomats and their families residing with them; air crews, and passengers involved in health supply chains, as decided by the Ministry of Health.

Second: Arrivals via land and sea ports, including male and female citizens and their spouses, daughters and sons of female citizens, and domestic workers accompanying any of the aforementioned groups; immune individuals, and their companions under the age of 18 years; holders of a diplomatic visa, and diplomats and their families residing with them; crews of marine vessels; truck drivers and their assistants via all ports; passengers involved in the health supply chains, as decided by the Ministry of Health, and other excluded cases, as determined by the competent authorities.

The excluded categories, except for the immune individuals, will be required to apply house quarantine, with an emphasis on the need to obtain a valid health insurance policy to cover the risks of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) approved by the official authorities in the Kingdom, as this will be applied to all non-immune arrivals arriving in Saudi Arabia.

The source affirmed the need for everyone to adhere to precautionary and preventive measures, as well as the health requirements, adding that all precautionary and preventive measures related to travel are subject to continuous assessment by the Public Health Authority (Weqaya), and as per the developments of the epidemiological situation.

AHN