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Emerging from lockdown

May 07,2020 - Last updated at May 07,2020

Jordan has embarked on a gradual relaxation of its nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, after gaining an upper hand in the battle against the pandemic thanks to the government’s timely and firm action and the public’s compliance.

As of Wednesday, almost all economic sectors have begun resuming operations, barring a few, after nearly two months of work stoppage necessitated by the pandemic outbreak.

Jordan has laid out an exit plan with a focus on preserving its achievements in the fight against the coronavirus, followed by plans to revive economic growth.

Little wonder, Jordan’s relatively low number of infections and minimal mortality rate is a fruit of its containment strategy and going strictly by the book of epidemiological protocols. For eight consecutive days in a row, as of Tuesday, the Kingdom had recorded no new cases of COVID-19, except for cases detected at the borders.

However, “zero cases” does not mean that the threat from the deadly pathogen is over.

His Majesty King Abdullah has stressed the need to bolster coordination among public institutions to prevent errors that could undo progress, noting that Jordan is a model in dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

As a semblance of normalcy is returning to daily life and the private sector is resuming operations to restore economic activity, the threat from the virus still lingers. In the words of Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, we have to proceed with caution.

Jordan faced the pandemic with a three-staged approach of immediate response, adaptation and recovery and economic strengthening, the premier has said.

This is not the time to bask in a sense of false security. As long as the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine continues, the fight against the pandemic is not over.

Relaxation does not mean normalcy. The pandemic has put our resilience to the test and enhanced our readiness in responding to health threats.

As we emerge from a tough and effective lockdown, the lessons learned from the ordeal still apply: We must maintain stricter public and personal hygiene in our personal and professional lives and continue wearing masks and gloves and implementing the social distancing mantra to ward off a possible second wave of infection or any future health threats. Let’s do our part.

 

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