Sanad application draws mixed public reactions

AMMAN — Circular No. 46, concerning public gatherings, has drawn mixed reactions from Jordanians.

The circular, issued by Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh on October 12, stipulates that restaurants cannot allow more than 10 people seated at one table inside the restaurant and no more than 15 people seated at one table in the restaurant’s outer courtyards, provided that the distance between tables is more than two metres.

Furthermore, malls, shopping centres, banks, telecommunications companies, galleries, tourist and popular restaurants, cafes, hotels, offices of electricity distribution companies, and water companies, are obligated to prohibit the entry or stay of individuals unless their vaccination is verified by the Sanad application. 

This new regulation took effect on Monday, October 18.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship clarified that people can use the government’s Sanadjo application without registering, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The ministry said that the health identity option can be used by entering the national number and phone number to access the latest PCR test results, the link to the vaccination certificate, and the QR code.

The ministry said that users can save the vaccination certificate or the QR code to show it to health inspectors.

In turn, inspectors use the inspection option to examine the health ID code, the vaccination certificate code, and personal ID. 

Inspection results would appear either in green to denote permission to enter a facility or in red to denote a ban to enter. 

“The new decision requesting a proof of vaccination is only a new guideline. I think that is okay and for the sake of public safety amid a pandemic,” said Nada Omar, a Jordanian citizen.

However, she agreed with other citizens’ objection to having crowded concerts that lacked strict health and safety protocols.

“Sanad application is just a digital vaccination credential, instead of using paper records, which makes people’s lives easier through showing their green vaccination status,” Hala Khalil, a Jordanian citizen, told The Jordan Times.

As for people who do not use smartphones, Hala said that an option should be provided, which is the use of paper vaccination certificates.

However, others had more negative reactions to the application. Yazan Rihani, a Jordanian Twitter user, wrote: “The programme [Sanad] besides being terrible, threw the responsibility of receiving the vaccination on facilities and that is unacceptable.”

Deema Alam Farraj, a Jordanian social media activist also shared her opinion regarding the application, saying that: “Sanad application [translates in English to support] is what needs support”.

“The application is not easy on citizens at all,” she added.