Jordan: Authorities to impose lockdown from November 10-15 /update 47

Event

The Jordanian government has extended the dates of their lockdown plans to combat the spread of coronavirus disease to be between 22:00 (local time) on Tuesday, November 10, and 06:00 on Sunday, November 15. The comprehensive curfew will begin an hour earlier on Tuesday at 21:00 for businesses. During the lockdown period, individuals are required to stay at home and only leave for essential purposes. Medical and other essential workers are exempt from the restrictions. The lockdown coincides with the conclusion of polling in parliamentary elections on Tuesday. Additionally, a 24-hour curfew is in place every Friday, through to the end of 2020. Friday prayers are permitted, providing worshippers attend on foot, wear protective face coverings, and adhere to social distancing measures.

Flights to and from Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) resumed in September. Rules for incoming passengers depend on the epidemiological situation in their countries of origin, with a color-coded classification list regularly updated by the Transport Ministry. The latest list can be found here. A minimum of one week of self-isolation to a maximum of two weeks of quarantine may be required for arriving passengers. All travelers are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test administered in the previous 72-hours prior to travel and will also be tested on arrival.

The Al-Mudawara, King Hussein Bridge, and Sheikh Hussein Bridge land border crossings reopened on October 29. Those wishing to transit the crossings are required to complete a Travel Declaration Form and provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within five days prior to their travel. A second test will be administered at the border crossing. The number of travelers permitted to cross is limited daily and self-quarantine measures on arrival are dependent on the traveler's country of origin.

As of November 10, health authorities have confirmed 114,986 COVID-19 cases in Jordan, with 1295 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on the skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay. To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.