The government on Sunday announced that the current COVID-19 containment measures will remain in place, including Friday lockdown, until May 15, 2021.

During a press briefing, Minister of State for Media Affairs Sakher Dudin, who is also the government spokesperson, said that businesses will be allowed to operate from 6am until 6pm while public movement will be allowed from 6am until 7pm, until May 15, 2021.

The government on March 11 announced measures taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including restricting business operating hours and public movement to 6pm and 7pm, respectively.

The media minister also added that a set of measures aimed towards mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the economy and alleviating pressures on citizens will be announced before the end of this week.

He also announced that part of press briefing will be allocated for answering reporters’ questions made through the phone number 0790445000, adding that as part of "the government’s openness” with the media and the public, periodical press briefings and conferences will be held two to three times a week.

Dudin added that Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh, in response to the tough economic conditions amid the pandemic, has issued Defence Order No.28 related to ensuring the rights of creditors without the imprisonment of debtors until December 31, 2021, provided that a travel ban will be imposed on the debtor until the loan is paid off. 

The new defence order also allows the continuation of judicial proceedings, he said, stressing that the move was made to establish solidarity in society, and to bring solutions that maintain the rights of the two parties, creditor and debtors,  without affecting the legal standings at the same time.

He added that all measures related to Defence Order No.28 will be followed with comprehensive studies to reach just legal arrangements that ensure a balance between creditors and debtors’ rights. 

Following are excerpts from the text of Defence Order No.28: 

 Based on the provisions of Article (3) of Defence Law No. (13) of 1992.

1. All decisions related to debtors’ imprisonment shall be postponed, provided that the sum adjudged is no more than JD100,000. 

2. All penal provisions related to imposing imprisonment for issuing cheques without sufficient funds to cover them, shall be suspended for cases related to cheques of no more than JD100,000.

3. All people included in the provisions of the first and second clauses of Defence Order No.28 are banned from travelling by a decision issued by the specialised judicial body.

4. The provisions of Defence Order No. 28 are effective as of Monday, March 29, 2021 until December 31, 2021.

5. All legislations that contradict the provisions of this defence order are suspended.

6. The premier has the right of expanding the validity of the provisions of this defence order, as well as amend the defence order through issuing circulars or decisions to that end.

Highlighting the rising number of COVID-19 fatalities, infections and the rate of positive test results, Dudin said that the spread of COVID-19 reached "alarming levels” in Jordan, pointing that hospital admissions are greater than the number of patients leaving hospitals by 50 per cent.

He said that albeit the decrease recorded during the past two days, the number of recorded COVID-19 fatalities, infections and the rate of positive test results are still high, stressing that the occupancy rate of ICU beds, in the central region, hit nearly 82 per cent.

These data show that the Kingdom is still in "a dangerous stage” that requires more caution and commitment, as well as cooperation, he said.

On the number of those who received COVID-19 vaccines, the government spokesperson said that a total of 88,821 people got the second jab, while those who received the first dose reached 287,057.

He said that the number of people registered on http://vaccine.jo reached 839,837, noting that around 30,000 people register a day, while in a number of governorates the turnout is still relatively modest.  

Regarding medical staff, a total of 37,000 medics were vaccinated, he said.

Highlighting the government’s efforts towards easing citizens’ access to COVID-19 vaccines, Dudin said that 27 mobile COVID-19 vaccination teams were allocated to go out and vaccinate people who cannot get to clinics, including a drive through service.

He also revealed that the Kingdom has contracted over 10,200,000 doses, which are enough for some 5,100,000 people, to be delivered by the end of the year.