Speaking at a press conference Monday, Minister of Health Nathir Obeidat and the Head of the Coronavirus Portfolio Wael al-Hayajneh agreed that while the Kingdom is faring well with COVID-19, the crisis is not over.

COVID-19 cases and deaths in the kingdom have dropped drastically, as Obeidat noted: from Dec. 5-11, Jordan recorded more than 7,000 less cases than the week before. Hospital and ICU admittance rates are also down.

Importantly, the positive case rate, often regarded as the most accurate indication of the reach of COVID-19, has also decreased by more than 35 percent, according to the minister.

Warning, however, that the virus is still spreading, Obeidat mentioned the soon-to-be opened third COVID-19 field hospital in the kingdom, which he hopes will be opened next week.

The first and second field hospitals were opened last week in Irbid and Zarqa, respectively. Both have a capacity of 300 beds.

Looking to the end of the crisis, Obeidat said Jordan finalized an agreement with vaccine company Pfizer to obtain enough vials to vaccinate five percent of the Jordanian population.

"We are hoping to vaccinate 20 percent of the Jordanian population," said Hayajneh, adding that discussions are ongoing with other vaccine providers to reach the percentage.

It was previously announced that elderly people and frontline healthcare workers will be the first to be vaccinated.

In the meantime, COVID-19 testing labs are now opened in all governorates, according to Hayajneh.

The highly anticipated decision about whether or not to re-open schools will be made in the next few weeks, said Obeidat.