In-class education in schools to be suspended for two weeks as of Thursday — government

AMMAN — In-class education in public and private schools will be suspended for two weeks as of Thursday in light of a surge in local infections, the government announced on Monday.

Coffee shops and restaurants will only be allowed to offer delivery and takeaway services for two weeks as of Thursday, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said during a press briefing at the Prime Ministry.

He added that all popular markets will be closed in the Kingdom as of Thursday, noting that the government has prepared a new mechanism for the work of central markets to avoid overcrowding.

The minister said that despite the government’s warnings against holding big gatherings, several violations were recorded across the Kingdom. 

Criticising the public’s complacency, the minister stressed that the government will take strict measures against violators including a 14-day detention.

Also speaking at the press briefing, Awqaf Minister Mohammad Khalaileh said that mosques will be closed for two weeks as of Thursday, noting that the decision aims to preserve public health and safety. 

Churches are also closed for two weeks as of Monday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, quoting President of the Jordan Churches Council Archbishop Christophorus Attallah. 

Education Minister Tayseer Nuaimi said that all public, private, UNRWA and military schools and kindergartens will be closed for two weeks as of Thursday, noting that the decision excludes Tawjihi students and gives families the option to send their children in the first three grades to schools or to resort to remote education.

During the press meeting, Nuaimi said that 75 students, 47 teachers, two employees at an education directorate and other six employees have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, noting all of the confirmed cases contracted the virus from coronavirus positive individuals.

The minister added that 88 public, private, UNRWA and military schools have shifted to remote education after cases were recorded there while 61 schools in containment zones had shifted to remote education.

Meanwhile, two coronavirus-related deaths and 214 new COVID-19 cases, including 204 local infections, were recorded on Monday, increasing the caseload since the outbreak of the pandemic to 3,528, Health Minister Saad Jaber said during the briefing.

Jaber said that 49 recoveries were registered over the past 24 hours.

The minister noted that epidemiological investigation teams conducted a total of 10,010 random tests nationwide, increasing the total number of tests to 989,576.