ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Defense Order No. 11, which requires individuals and public and private entities to adhere to social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), will come into full force as of Saturday, State Minister for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh announced on Monday.

Speaking to Petra, the Minister explained that the order obliges business owners and individuals to take utmost caution and vigilance, and imposes penalties on any entity whose employees fail to wear face masks and gloves or overlook health safety measures.

Under the order, Adaileh added, individuals could face fines ranging between JOD20 and JOD50 while entities could be fined an amount ranging between JOD100 and JOD200 in addition to a 14-day closure.

The minister, who is also the government official spokesperson, indicated that the government granted public and private sector institutions a grace period before enforcing the defense order, so they can put the necessary safety measures in place and procure PPE. The order also bans gatherings of more than 20 people.

Following are some highlights of the order:

- Individuals shall adhere to social distancing and the use of facial masks before entering public places, including ministries, government departments, official and public institutions, or places where services are provided directly to the public, such as companies, businesses, shopping malls and centers, shops, clinics, and health centers.

- Healthcare service providers and the entities referred to in the foregoing paragraph as well as delivery workers shall be required to use facial masks and shall also require their clients to do so.

- Individuals who fail to observe these instructions shall be subject to a fine starting from JOD20 and not exceeding JOD50 while entities shall be fined an amount ranging between a minimum of JOD100 and a maximum of JOD200 in addition to closing the entity where the violation was committed for 14 days. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the application of the penalties set forth hereinabove shall not preclude the application of a more severe punishment enshrined in any other law.

Earlier and under the same defense order, the minister of health had issued instructions for community infection prevention and control, which urges the correct use of face masks in closed workplaces, including malls, central markets, stores of all kinds, telecom companies, the electricity company, the water authority, banks and offices. The instructions are also applicable to public transport, including buses, taxis, private vehicles with more than one occupant, wedding halls, hairdressing and beauty salons.