Kingdom’s arrivals to undergo random COVID-19 testing

AMMAN — Arrivals to the Kingdom will undergo random sampling to track any new variants of the coronavirus, as of next week, Adel Bilbeisi, Prime Ministry adviser for epidemiological affairs and the official in charge of the COVID-19 crisis, said on Wednesday. 

Announcing the new set of epidemiological surveillance measures to go into effect next week, Bilbeisi said that the measures also include integrating coronavirus surveillance within the seasonal influenza surveillance system.

The season influenza surveillance system is already implemented in four hospitals and three healthcare centres to investigate the coronavirus and influenza virus at the same time through samples collected periodically, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Bilbeisi also urged the public to get vaccinated, as immunization decreases hospitalizations and reduces the severity of illness.