Saudi Arabia bans mall entry for unvaccinated

JEDDAH — Authorities in Saudi Arabia have decided to ban unvaccinated individuals from entering to malls starting from Aug. 1, 2021.

Vaccination with at least one dose against COVID-19 will be a requirement to visit malls, the Ministry of Commerce Spokesman Abdulrahman Al-Hussein, said on Sunday.

He revealed that the basic plan of the Ministry of Commerce in Hajj is based on two aspects, the first is working on abundance and supply, and the second, controlling products and following up on everything related to the Ministry's systems in the exceptional Hajj.

He pointed out that the dressing rooms were reopened and touchscreens allowed to be used in shops, malls and commercial centers while ensuring continuous disinfection and social distancing.

The Ministry's official spokesman reiterated that the four practices that lead to crowding inside and outside commercial establishments are still prohibited, mainly: inviting celebrities and advertisers, conducting ceremonies for shops and markets, commercial competitions that require attendance, and launching events for products or services.

He stressed that the concerned authorities continued to monitor adherence to precautions and conducted 103,274 inspection visits, during which 3,436 direct violations were recorded.

Earlier, the Ministry of Interior declared that vaccination would be mandatory as of Aug. 1 for those wishing to attend sporting and entertainment events, participate in cultural activities and enter various private and public establishments.