The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Sunday emphasized the necessity for tourist restaurants, wedding venues and other event halls wishing to reopen, to submit official pledges to abide by the conditions for providing shisha, as well as all other work procedures and preventive measures.

The circular came in light of the decision to reopen closed sectors, as part of the plan to reach a "safe summer."

In a letter, the ministry called on the Association of Hotels and the Association of Tourist Restaurants, to circulate to its affiliates, and owners of establishments who have completed the procedures and requirements stipulated by the ministry beforehand, the necessity of adhering to Protocol (15) issued by the Ministry of Labor regarding work procedures for preventive measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in authorized establishments.

It also called for the appointment of a health safety officer from one of the facility’s employees to ensure that the facility and its employees are committed to applying all protocols issued in this regard, in order to avoid taking the legal requirement against the violating facilities.

The ministry indicated that the awareness, guidance and joint control unit on tourist facilities will intensify its field tours to ensure the facilities' compliance with the protocol prepared for this purpose.

As of June 15, establishments in Jordan will be allowed to provide shisha in establishments, under conditions set by the government in the context of confronting the coronavirus pandemic.

Facilities wishing to re-allow shisha must submit a request to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), or the Tourism Directorate in their governorate to sign a pledge to abide by the approved health protocols.

Among the conditions announced by the government with the plan to reopen sectors - which begins June 1 in three phases - is that all workers in the facilities must receive a coronavirus vaccine, with 21 days having passed since receiving the first dose.

Those under 18 years of age, or over the age of 65 are not permitted to smoke shisha.

The government also stipulated that establishments work at a capacity of no more than 50 percent, so that they commit to maintaining a distance of two meters between tables, with no more than six people per table.

Prior to serving customers shisha, the entire shisha must be cleaned inside out with water and soap, and the appropriate disinfection methods must be taken according to public health instructions.

Disposable pipes must only be provided in establishments, with the plastic casing still intact so the customers themselves unpackage it.

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