Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – More than 500 employees have been recruited to guide pilgrims performing umrah (the minor hajj) after Saudi Arabia lifted a temporary ban on the pilgrimage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has hired 531 employees who work across three shifts to receive 6,000 pilgrims every day, Arab News reported.

Pilgrims are taken care of from the moment they arrive at the Grand Mosque in Makkah until they have completed all the rituals, so as to ensure that the umrah pilgrimage is carried out in a safe manner, the presidency stated.

Strict health measures have been adopted to protect pilgrims and help stop the spread of the virus, the presidency said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window