John Black (Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas, NI-CO, Jordan)
Key actions taken to limit the spread of COVID – 19 in Jordan
So far, there have been no infection or deaths in care homes in Jordan. As of the 29 May there have been 728 cases of infection in the country and 9 deaths.
Country wide actions:
- Travel bans, international travel with all flights to and from the country suspended since 17 March and travel limitations across the country with no cars being allowed on the road and restrictions on movement across Governorates.
- Businesses have been closed temporarily particularly restaurants and other entertainment venues such as cinemas and children’s play activity centres.
- Curfews on a daily basis applied rigorously as well as occasional complete curfews lasting either 24 or 48 hours.
- Quarantine arrangements, with no option to either ‘agree’ to stay at home or sign a commitment to do so, with designated places, generally hotels, where you are required to stay for a minimum of two weeks.
- Medical and nursing staff working with those who are hospitalised with COVID-19, work a two week ‘shift’ in the hospital, without going home at all. They then go into strict quarantine for two weeks before returning to work their next two week ‘shift’ in the hospital.
- Random testing for COVID-19 in areas where an infection has been confirmed.
- Social distancing in place for everyone.
Long term care facilities – specific actions:
- A ban on all but absolutely essential family and other visitors to care homes with the exceptions being health visits by primary care doctors and senior officials.
- Staff at one long-term residential care centre working in three distinct teams and each team spends a full week working and actually living in the centre. The three teams then alternate week about with each also then having two weeks off from work. The same system being applied across all residential care facilities across the country.
- Daily monitoring of both residents and staff takes place routinely to check on their health condition.
- Safe hygiene practices being applied thoroughly and guidance strictly followed by all those working at the care homes.