Defence Order No.32 regulating work of unvaccinated employees to take effect today

AMMAN — A number of government measures, included in Defence Order No.32, which is aimed to regulate the work of employees who have not received the COVID vaccine in the public and private sectors,  will come into full force on Thursday, August 5.

The measures included public sector employees and drivers of public transport vehicles, as well as work and residence permits.

Defence Order No.32 stipulated that any public sector employee who has not received the first dose of the COVID vaccine or failed to receive the second dose must submit a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to Sunday and Thursday of every week and submit it to his/her direct superior at their department. 

Public sector employees who violate provisions of Article 1 of the first clause are not allowed to join work. The days that they are not allowed to work shall be deducted from their annual leave. If the annual leave days are exhausted, those days will be deducted from their salaries and allowances. 

No work permit shall be issued and no annual residency permit shall be renewed for any resident who has not received one dose or failed to receive the second dose of the COVID vaccine.

Any driver of a public transport vehicle who has not received the first dose or failed to receive the second one must periodically conduct a PCR test and they are always required to present a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours. 

Any driver who violates that will receive a fine of no less than JD100 and no more than JD500. Repeat violators will be fined with the maximum value of the penalty.

All those required to conduct PCR tests under this order can undergo the tests at centres affiliated with the Ministry of Health free of charge.

The defence order also included measures pertaining to the immunisation of the staffs of the educational and higher education institutions, that will come into full force on August 15, and others related to the private sectors workers that will come into effect as of September 1.