AMMAN — A recent government decision placing
new restrictions on attending wedding parties and other gatherings, among which
is to present a valid negative
PCR test, was described by wedding venue owners
as a “confused decision,” “and an indirect closure” of venues, and has already
caused some wedding party cancelations.
اضافة اعلان
Head
of the wedding-venue owners union, Mamoun Al-Manaseer, said the government’s
decision to request PCR tests from wedding invitees in addition to having
received the two shots of the vaccine “is like indirectly forcing the venue
owners to close, and reflects some confusion on the part of the authorities.”
He told
Jordan News that since the
reopening of sectors, numerous concerts and festivals were held across the
country without checks and controls, which must have contributed to increased cases
of
infections, “however the government is blaming this on weddings,” adding
that none of the venues have recorded any cases of infection due to the strict
measures they followed, like distancing and
facemasks.
Manaseer stressed that the decision issued on December
12 requires further clarifications and revision. “We, as a union, have question marks,
especially since one people are inside the halls, public safety measures are observed,
including temperature checks, social distancing, and wearing masks.”
Another
venue owner, Rajaei Abu Asbeh, said that due to several unreasonable decisions
related to the pandemic, many venue owners were forced to sell their
businesses, adding that whereas parties and other gatherings take place without
restrictions, “it seems that the government blames only weddings for the spread
of the virus.”
Abu Asbeh wondered how it could be possible to
compel people “to receive the two doses of the vaccine as well as to take a PCR
test to be able to attend a wedding!”
Mohammad Al-Qaryouti, also a venue owner, said
there have been cancelations following the government decision, noting that
bookings have declined dramatically since the pandemic-related restrictions, “and,
we don’t get compensated,” he added.
Manaseer believes that the decision will have
adverse effects on the pandemic situation, as most customers who canceled their
wedding reservations at “the halls” would hold their parties at home, or in
vacation houses, or other venues, “away from the government's eyes, and not
abiding by the safety and health instructions, leading us all to go back to
square one.”
Manaseer plans to meet with the secretary-general
of the
Ministry of Health for Epidemiology Affairs, Adel Al-Balbisi, to discuss
the decision and convey the potential harm it would be bring to this
sector. “25 celebrations were canceled
within 48 hours,” he said.
Saif Osama, engaged to be married, has canceled reservations
for his wedding party, which was scheduled for next week. He said that as a result of this decision and
cancelation of reservations, large sums of money were incurred. He added that there are family members who
cannot take the vaccine for health reasons, including his mother, and that most
of the guests would not attend because of the expensive cost of the PCR test.
Alternatively, the future groom has decided to
hold his wedding party at a vacation house, off Amman, assuring however, that
everybody will be required to abide by the health measures. “The pandemic has
become a part of our lives, and we have to cope with it.”
Read more National news
.jpg)
.jpg)
