Nayrouz News Agency : Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh on Tuesday called on the public not to conduct gatherings or feasts during the fasting month of Ramadan, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

During a press briefing at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management, the minister said that the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) will be in charge of receiving and distributing in-kind and food donations during the holy month.

He added that the JHCO will work in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development according to the National Unified Registry lists.

Charities in the governorates that wish to distribute donations can obtain the approval of the administrative governor of their respective areas to do so in accordance with health requirements and official instructions, Adaileh said.

Citizens will be allowed to leave their homes to purchase necessities and run errands during Ramadan from 10am to 6pm, he noted.

A comprehensive curfew will be observed in the Kingdom on Friday, he said.

The minister also announced that work hours for permitted employees during Ramadan will be from 10am to 3pm, while employees whose work requires otherwise will work according to hours arranged by their employers.

Regarding commercial and industrial establishments that were permitted to resume work as of Tuesday, the minister said that only establishments registered with the Social Security Corporation (SSC) will be granted permits through the platform stayhome.jo.

For establishments not registered with the SSC or those that employ workers who are not registered with the SSC, Adaileh said that the corporation launched a service on Tuesday through which establishments can apply electronically to be covered by the SSC, as well as their Jordanian and non-Jordanian employees, without the need to visit corporation branches.

Adaileh stressed that establishments are "under no obligation” to immediately pay fees for registering with the SSC or for their employees’ subscriptions with the corporation in April or May, and can pay amounts incurred in installments over three years with a zero per cent interest rate.

He stressed that the SSC’s role under the current circumstances is to protect hundreds of thousands of Jordanian workers after the suspension of work.

He noted that the government’s measures to launch multiple platforms "may not be the ideal approach to providing services or granting permits”, however, "it is the best approach in light of the amount of time available”.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship is working to compile all of these platforms under one electronic umbrella in the coming days, the minister said.

As part of the government’s efforts to expand e-payment systems in the Kingdom, 159,000 e-wallets have been created over a span of one month, he said.

Regarding the isolation of five villages in Irbid, the minister said that a decision pertaining to restrictions will be made during the course of the current week, affirming that Irbid governorate will remain closed and that lockdown procedures in the northern governorate will be reconsidered in the coming days.