83% of education sector workers vaccinated — official

AMMAN — Eighty-three per cent of workers in the education sector are vaccinated, in addition to 50,000 students in private and public schools, according to Education Ministry Secretary General Najwa Qubailat.

On the 60 Minutes programme on Jordan TV, broadcast on Friday night, Qubailat said: “There’s no mandate for getting a vaccine for students above the age of 12.”

The Health Ministry recently decided to lower the vaccination age to 12 and allow vaccinations without a prior appointment. The ministry also said that inoculation will be optional for Pfizer, particularly for those who are less than 18 years old and have parental approval, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Qubailat stressed the importance of following the health and safety protocol at schools. Students have to wear face masks and maintain a one-metre distance from others, the official said.

“The students who test positive for COVID-19 will switch to distance learning,” Qubailat said.

The official also urged parents to register their children for the “Academic Loss Compensation Programme”, which aims to compensate students for lessons they missed during the pandemic. The programme will start on Sunday. 

Only 50 per cent of the students will attend the morning assembly, Qubailat added. 

Razan Yousef, a private school principal, told The Jordan Times that this school year is different from previous years.“Kids are now anxious about whether they will fit in with their friends or not and parents are also worried about their children’s academics,” Yousef said.

“I’m worried about sending my kids back to school, especially as the Delta variant spreads,’’ Dana Fayez, a mother of two girls, told The Jordan Times.

Abdel Rahman Shaher, the former public health specialist at the Ministry of Health, said that parents have to support their children and “offer reassurance during another pandemic school year”. 

“We should believe in our children's ability to adapt and validate their concerns. We also have to be patient as they go through another year with so many unknowns,” Shaher told The Jordan Times.

“I hope parents view the COVID-19 vaccination as the first line of defence for their children. Parents also must educate their children about the importance of wearing face mask, washing hands and keeping the safety distance,’’ said Ola Rasheed, a private high school teacher.