COVID testing centres to shut down, weekly reports discontinued

AMMAN — Based on recommendations of the National Epidemiological Committee, Health Minister Firas Al Hawari, announced on Thursday that COVID-19 testing centres will be shut down. Hawari also decided to adopt the PCR test as a prerequisite for dispensing COVID-19 treatments, also mandating that rapid test results will be used for immediate treatment in emergency cases.

In addition, specific sick leave for COVID-19 patients, which was previously set at five days, will be cancelled. Instead, sick leave will be granted in accordance with the existing regulations and instructions. According to Hawari, the committee recommended encouraging high-risk groups to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster doses in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Additionally, the daily and weekly reports on COVID-19 will be discontinued, and the disease will be treated similarly to the surveillance of infectious diseases through the Respiratory Diseases Monitoring Programme. These decisions have been made following the issuance of the Royal Decree to suspend the implementation of Defence Law No. 13 of 1992, and in light of the WHO’s declaration that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a health emergency.