Defence Order No. 11 to come into full force on Saturday — Adaileh

AMMAN — Defence Order No. 11, which commits people to wearing face masks and gloves while in public, will come into full force on Saturday, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh said on Monday. 

The order obliges individuals and institutions with "the highest levels of preventive measures" against COVID-19 and imposes penalties on all those who fail to adhere to the regulations, Adaileh told the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The penalties range between JD20 to JD50 for individuals and JD100 to JD200 for institutions in addition to a 14-day closure, the minister added.

Health Minister Saad Jaber had sent a letter to Prime Minister Omar Razzaz requesting him to activate the order, which includes directions on committing to physical distancing and wearing face masks upon entering public places, such as ministries, government departments, malls and clinics, Petra reported.  

Inspection teams from the ministries of Local Administration and Industry, Trade and Supply, and the Public Security Directorate will conduct “rigorous” monitoring, Adaileh added.

He also stressed that the government has “no intention” to impose a partial or a comprehensive curfew.

The order stipulates that service providers must wear masks and deny entry for those who fail to abide by the instructions.

The order will also be enforced on public transportation means and privately owned vehicles with more than one passenger.

The following is the text of Defence Order No. 11 issued under the Defence Law No. (13) of 1992:

“In line with the government's policy to gradually mitigate curfew procedures, to allow the various productive, service, economic and commercial sectors to operate, to commit owners of entities, citizens and residents to adhere to the utmost caution and precaution, to apply preventive and precautionary methods and to reduce as much as possible practices that may cause transmission of infection among people, I decide to issue the Defence Order below:

First: 1. Every person must adhere to the prescribed distancing space and commit to wearing a face mask and gloves prior to entering public entities, including ministries, government departments, official and public institutions and entities where services are provided directly to the public, including companies, institutions, establishments, malls, shopping centres and commercial stores, medical clinics and health centres.

2. Health service providers and service providers in the entities referred to in Paragraph 1 of this clause, their co-workers and workers in delivery services are requested to wear masks and gloves and to deny visitors entry to these entities without wearing face masks or gloves.

Second: 1. Whoever violates the provisions of Paragraph 1 of the First Clause shall be punished with a fine of no less than JD20 and not exceeding JD50.

2. Whoever violates the provisions of Paragraph 2 of the First Clause shall be penalised with a fine of no less than JD100 and not exceeding JD200, and the entity where the violation has taken place will be closed for a period of 14 days.

3. The imposing of the penalty mentioned in this clause does not block the imposing of any more severe punishment stipulated in any other legislation.

Third: No prosecution shall be pursued against any of the persons mentioned in the First Clause if he/she pays the minimum fine within a week from the date of the violation.

Fourth: The Minister of Health is authorised to set the date on which this Defence Order will take effect and issue the necessary instructions for its implementation.”