After over a year of combatting and containing COVID-19 in the Kingdom, Saudi Arabia is now ready to reopen and re-imagine the new normal with exciting events and entertainment ahead.
In the years of 2018 to 2019, Saudi Arabia started opening its doors to the world. Not just with granting visit visas to tourists and launching giga projects, but also through the multitude of international concerts, pop-up restaurants, and themed events that’s been able to advance the entertainment industry in the country. With all the world halting to the cause of COVID by early 2020, Saudi Arabia wasted no time in organizing effective and efficient means to control the spread and prioritize the safety of its citizens and residents.
The proper precautions
Thanks to the innovative applications developed by the government, such as the Sehatty and Tawakkalna; and the productive vaccination drive by the Ministry of Health – their joint efforts have made the return to the “new normal” consolidated and reliable. As the number of cases lowered in the past few months and with the Riyadh Season launching, strategies are in place to ensure that the return of public gatherings are practicing the necessary precautionary measures.
For instance, as of October 10th, an individual’s immunization status must reflect having received two doses of the approved vaccines in Saudi Arabia before being allowed entry to any commercial or governmental establishments. It simply means that it’s now a requirement to be fully vaccinated to gain access to any public place. Apart from that, all event areas must enforce the limited number of attendees, unless in an outdoor setting. The Gathering Code feature in the Tawakkalna app monitors the number of visitors in a certain venue and once the maximum capacity is reached, succeeding visitors need to wait before a certain number of people leave first before they can enter.
The government had just announced the reduced health measures starting October 17. Face masks are no longer mandatory while outdoors and full capacity are now restored in public places, transportation, restaurants, and cinemas.
A reason to celebrate
With the lifting of restrictions, it’s time to adapt and accept these new ways of gathering and celebrating. It may not be the same as before, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t get better. That glimmer of hope was palpable during last month’s celebration of the 91st Saudi National Day, which was the gateway to restarting public events in the Kingdom. The city of Riyadh was lit with green neon lights and a vibrant national campaign titled “A Home For Us” was visible everywhere. Commercial establishments also took part by providing offers and discounts for the long weekend leading up to the Saudi National Day. By 10:00 PM of September 22, the main roads were already bustling with traffic as men and women paraded their vehicles in the highways, waving the Saudi flag high to welcome the official day by midnight. In the late afternoon thereafter, the Royal Saudi Air Force known as the Saudi Hawks hovered over the skies for the biggest airshow they have performed to date. Saudia Airlines, FlyNas, and FlyaDeal also participated by flying their airplanes side by side over the major cities. In Riyadh, the public viewing was held at Um Ajlan Park – a large open space that was able to accommodate hundreds of families who wanted to join in the festivities. The airshow lasted for an hour, entertaining the crowd with their aerobatic feats and trails of colored smoke. By nightfall, fireworks illuminated the skies all across the Kingdom in jubilation of its glorious history and promising future.
Ready to return…and more.
Now that things have been tried and tested, the General Entertainment Authority has its calendar full of exciting events, including the much anticipated grand opening of the Riyadh Season Imagine More, MDL Beast Sound Storm, Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah, cultural programs at Ithra, and concerts in Al Ula. Specific details are still in the works but one thing is for sure, Saudi Arabia is ready to serve up the good vibes we all need and deserve in the safest way possible.
Photo credit: Alsanqer Abdullah H / Shutterstock.com and Twitter.com/SaudiHawks
