Work suspension for ministries, public institutions extended to end of April

AMMAN — Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Omar Razzaz has issued a circular stipulating the extension of the work suspension for ministries, official departments and public institutions and entities from the morning of Wednesday, April 15 until the evening of Thursday, April 30, 2020, according to Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh.

This decision was made during a Cabinet session headed by the prime minister on Sunday, during which the ministers discussed the developments regarding the response to COVID-19 and the measures that could be taken during the coming stage, Adaileh said.

During the session, the Cabinet evaluated the measures and decisions previously taken and their feasibility in dealing with the crisis, in addition to discussing the recommendations presented by the government work teams, he noted.

In light of detected indicators and the possibility of the crisis extending over the short and medium terms, Razzaz instructed the reestablishment of the government work teams concerned with dealing with the coronavirus and its repercussions.

The three teams include the national economy protection team, the basic services team, which includes education, higher education, health, water and electricity, among others, and a team concerned with the legal, administrative, field and media components.

Speaking during a joint press briefing with Minister of Health Saad Jaber at the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management, Adaileh added that vital public sectors specified by the concerned ministers will be exempted from the suspension decision, as well as private sector and banking sector establishments permitted to work during the suspension.

The public and private health sectors are entirely exempt from the suspension, the minister said.

Regarding Christian employees in exempted sectors, the minister said that they will be granted two days off on Sunday and Monday on the occasion of Easter.

Adaileh also pointed to the efforts made by the government to support the tourism sector, which is considered one of the sectors most directly damaged by the coronavirus crisis, adding that the tourism minister will announce measures aimed at helping the sector deal with the repercussions of the crisis.

The minister said that starting Monday, supermarkets and grocery stores in malls will be allowed to open from 10am to 6pm for shoppers to visit on foot, adding that other businesses will be reopened gradually and under strict conditions.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri on Sunday made the decision to allow grocery stores and supermarkets with an area of over 200 square metres to sell directly to the public starting on Monday, in accordance with public safety measures, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Hammouri said in a press statement that the decision aims to reduce crowding in the shops that are currently operating and allow people to prepare for the fasting month of Ramadan, which usually witnesses an increase in demand for various food items.

The minister stressed that these stores must pledge to continue providing home delivery services via electronic sales from 6am to 6pm, Petra reported.

Adaileh announced that an electronic platform will be launched to enable tourist restaurants to provide delivery services in accordance with strict health requirements, which will be announced later.