Monday, Minister of Health Nathir Obeidat held a press conference to discuss the COVID-19 situation in the Kingdom.

Obeidat said that more than 27,000 PCR tests have been conducted in Jordan Monday. He stressed that the COVID-19 situation in the Kingdom is improving, adding that the daily number of COVID-19 cases and deaths is decreasing.

Notably, Saturday Jordan recorded the lowest number of coronavirus cases at 903, which is the lowest number the Kingdom has recorded since October. 

Obeidat announced that a new field hospital designated for coronavirus patients, will be opened soon in Irbid, which is the third field hospital to be opened in Irbid. The capacity in these three field hospitals will be 900 beds, 220 of which will be ICU beds. There are also field hospitals located in Amman, Zarqa and Ma'an.

Obeidat added that Jordan will adopt a new test to detect the coronavirus faster than the PCR test, though he did not give any further information.

In order for the pandemic to come to an end, a critical mass of people need to be vaccinated, Obeidat said.

Vaccinating a 'critical mass' would mean giving the coronavirus vaccine to enough people that the chain of transmission is broken, or effecting 'herd immunity' in the population.

Obeidat said that COVID-19 vaccines will be available in Jordan within the next three weeks, noting that Jordan is hoping to vaccinate 25 percent of the population.

The side effects of the vaccines do not pose any threat to life, he added.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the most common side effects of the vaccine are fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever.

As for canceling Friday lockdowns, Obeidat said that this decision depends on the COVID-19 situation in the Kingdom.

Oct. 20, Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh announced that a weekly lockdown will be imposed every Friday until the end of 2020.

Also Read: Students will not return to schools unless it is safe: Obeidat