AMMAN
— The recent surge in
COVID-19 cases in Jordan is attributed to a number of
factors, foremost of which are the continued refusal by a segment of society to
get vaccinated, a weakened immunity against the virus months after taking the first
or second jab, the advent of the
flu season, and lax precautionary measures by
many; in particular relating to the reopening of various sectors and the return
to classroom learning, according to health officials.
اضافة اعلان
“The
substantial increase in COVID-19 cases we have witnessed over the past three
weeks is global, and Jordan is not isolated from the rest of the world,” said Bassam
Hijjawi, a member of the Epidemiological Committee.” Hijjawi said there has
been some “recklessness” during the days and weeks when infection cases had seen
a drop, with little adherence by the population to wearing facemasks and
observing social distancing.
However,
Hijjawi said the current situation remains under control by the health system, but
inspection and control teams must be more diligent and strict. He believes
people must learn to live with the pandemic by continuing to abide by
preventive measures. “Full closures have proven futile and there will be no
benefit from returning to lockdowns and curfews,” he said.
The
Epidemiological Committee recommends tightened control over preventative
measures, promoting immunization, and monitoring unvaccinated people as “they pose
a threat to society”.
While
school students aged 12–17 constitute one-fifth of the population, vaccination
for this age group is optional and requires the parents’ consent,
Ministry of Education spokesperson Ahmad Masafah said. He assured that despite the fact
that this age group amounts to over 2 million of people, distance learning will
not be an option and in-person learning will continue. He said, however, the
epidemiological situation in schools is reassuring and under control.
On
Wednesday,
Minister of Health Feras Al-Hawari told Al-Mamlaka TV that the
occupancy rate of field hospitals designated to COVID-19 patients reached 30–35
percent, reassuring that this percentage is not “high” as an average, with the
occupancy rate of beds in the Amman Field Hospital reaching 113 beds out of the
400 beds allocated to patients.
A
government statement on Wednesday put the COVID-19 positivity rate at nearly
9.2 per cent, with a total of 44,810 active cases; a substantial spike in
infections compared to previous months.
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