Saudi- Implementing MoH directive on Haj difficult

(MENAFN- Arab News) The Ministry of Health (MoH) has said that elderly and pregnant women should postpone their Haj plans for this year because of concerns about the new coronavirus known as MERS-CoV. Faisal Noah, chairman of the national establishment for pilgrims from Arab countries, told Arab News that it is impractical to try to implement the ministry's recommendations because "the methods of pilgrim selection in these countries are limited and they are mostly done by ballot." "This does not allow us to know the percentage of the elderly people who will come to perform Haj. We noticed, however, that most of the pilgrims who arrive from these countries are elderly," he added. The recommendations of the Ministry of Health about performing Haj seek to persuade the elderly and those who have medical problems to postpone their Haj plans because of concerns about their contracting MERS-CoV.