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Ammon News - Minister of State for Media Affairs and the government official spokesperson, Sakher Dudin, announced the government's new measures to deal with developments in the Coronavirus pandemic.

The new measures included imposing a blanket lockdown on Fridays in all areas of the Kingdom, with the suspension of Friday prayers in mosques, and Sunday masses in churches until the end of this month.

Decisions also included the extension of curfew hours, as of Saturday, corresponding to March 13th, until further notice. Under the extension, individuals will be allowed to move from 7pm and businesses at 6pm, until 6am, with the exception of sectors their nature of work require otherwise, such as the agricultural sector, whose workers will be allowed to move from 5am.

Dudin pointed out that restaurants will be allowed to provide delivery service to citizens at home during the night curfew until midnight, noting that all decisions related to the blanket and partial lockdown will be subject to evaluation and study according to the developments of the epidemiological situation.

They also included reducing the operating capacity of public transport from 75 percent to 50 percent until the end of this month, Dudin added, indicating that these decisions will be subject to evaluation according to the developments in the epidemiological situation.

Dudin reiterated that the government will not impose a blanket lockdown for long periods during this stage, pointing out that the government has also decided to reduce the working hours of public sector employees, and Prime Minister, Bisher Khasawneh determines the duration of this reduction as he deems appropriate.

With regard to working mothers in the public sector who have children in the first three grades or kindergartens, Dudin affirmed that it was decided to adopt their remote work from within the previously established 30 to 50 percent of the working hours of public sector employees.

The Minister of State for Media Affairs indicated that the government decided to close a number of sectors until the end of this month, with the aim of limiting the spread of the pandemic and breaking the chain of infection in society.

According to Dudin, the sectors included nightclubs, bars and discos, the counter that serves alcoholic drinks inside tourist restaurants, indoor swimming pools located in hotel establishments, tourist residential complexes and hotels, sports centers and academies, sports clubs, and oriental baths, in addition to equestrian clubs and public parks, including shops located in them.

In a related development, Dudin announced that the cabinet decided to instruct all ministries, government institutions, the Amman Greater Municipality (GAM) and municipalities to take the necessary measures to exempt closed sectors under defense orders from licensing fees and buildings and land taxes (i.e. Al-Musaqaffat) this year, in proportion to the period of closure.

Dudin stressed that the government continues its policy of openness and continuous communication with all media outlets in order to deliver its messages to citizens and to avoid the spread of rumors, underlining that the cybercrime unit will deal severely with leaks of documents and decisions.