Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A comprehensive curfew will be imposed on Friday in Amman and Zarqa, following the increasing number of local infections with the coronavirus (Covid-19) in both governorates, while the curfew hours will remain as is in the rest of the kingdom's governorates, announced Wednesday Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh.

The 24-hour curfew to take effect in the two governorates will begin from 11pm on Thursday until 11pm on Friday, Adaileh said in a media briefing at the prime ministry.

He said that the e-permits won't authorize holders in Amman and Zarqa to move during the curfew, indicating that permits will be granted to a limited number of employees to maintain the operations in some vital sectors, including the media.

These permits, Adaileh added, will be issued by the Covid-19 crisis cell at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management via the same mechanism that was applied in previous curfews.

He indicated that active medical and nursing personnel will be excluded from the comprehensive curfew, while the movement of departing or arriving passengers and their companions from Queen Alia International Airport will be facilitated, by presenting their travel tickets.

Adaileh also stressed that imposing the comprehensive curfew in only two governorates comes in accordance with the new announced trend of implementing limited closures in a flexible manner that contributes to achieving a balance between protecting the health of citizens and the sustainability of the economy by focusing on hotspots that are witnessing an increase in infections.

He added that the comprehensive curfew aims to reduce chances and durations of contacting, which is the main reason for the spread of Covid-19 infections, and enables epidemiological investigation teams to focus their efforts on investigating potential cases in pandemic hotspots.

Adaileh also indicated that the government and relevant entities are closely following up on developments of the epidemiological situation in the Marka district, after recording cases yesterday, noting that prompt decisions will be taken including additional precautionary measures, if the number of infections continues to rise in an alarming manner.

On the National Epidemiology Committee's approval to hold the Jerash Festival with a symbolic ceremony, Adaileh confirmed that the Culture Ministry decided to freeze the festival for this year, after the increasing number of Covid-19 cases during the past two weeks. He pointed out that the request to hold a symbolic ceremony for the festival was previously submitted before the recent developments of the epidemiological situation.

He also explained that the ceremony was supposed to be an opening and closing event for an hour only, without an audience, while adhering to preventive health measures.

On queries about holding elections of professional unions, Adaileh said the government and the Epidemiology Committee are examining the possibility of organizing elections, in accordance with strict health protocols that guarantee the protection of participants and organizers.

In this regard, he stressed that preparatory meetings for the upcoming parliamentary elections must be held within health and preventive requirements and instructions, which require the adherence to wearing masks, distancing and following infection control procedures, under strict supervision by the Interior Ministry, represented by administrative governors and security bodies.

The Interior Ministry, according to Adaileh, will also tighten its procedures to control and prevent any gathering that violates defense orders and precautionary health measures, especially wedding gatherings and mourning houses, and anyone who violates defense orders and organizes this type of gathering will be arrested for 14 days.