Ammon News -

Minister of Health, Nathir Obeidat, said that the Irbid field hospital will be opened next week to initially treat coronavirus (Covid-19) patients, announcing the opening of a number of hospitals in various governorates of the Kingdom.

"Jordan is witnessing a continuous decline in the death toll and infections with Covid-19 for the ninth week in a row," Obeidat said in press conference held in the Prime Ministry on Wednesday.

On the new strain of the coronavirus, Obeidat explained that it didn't cause a change or increase in the severity of the disease, and has no impact on the effectiveness of vaccines, stressing that it may be spreading faster than the original strain of the virus.

The health minister called on citizens to wear face masks, take them off and putting them back in the right way, in order to protect the body and avoid placing the hand on the front side of the mask, underlining that matters are under control with regard to conducting Covid-19 tests.

He indicated that the national vaccination program is proceeding according to the determined plan, priorities and categories and vaccines will be distributed fairly, adding, "But we must vaccinate the largest number of citizens."

For his part, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health for Epidemiological Affairs, Officer in charge of the Coronavirus situation in Jordan, Wael Hayajneh, announced that the ministry in February 4 will provide a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Hayajneh estimated the number of people registered to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at about 344,000, highlighting the side effects that the ministry has monitored through its teams that follow up on those who received the vaccine over a 24-hour period.