AMMAN
— By Monday, Jordan is due to have received 800,000 doses of
Sinopharm COVID
jabs amid easing of vaccine procedures for certain age groups.
اضافة اعلان
Half a million Sinopharm
vaccines arrived in Jordan on Friday from Dubai, and another 300,000 doses are
expected to come directly from China on Monday.
This comes amid a new
decision confirmed by Secretary-General of Epidemiological Affairs at the
Ministry of Health Adel Al-Belbisi to allow those aged 50 and above to receive
a COVID-19 vaccine without having to register on the government's online
vaccination portal. This demographic will be able to forego the enrollment in
an effort to encourage a substantial vaccination turnout.
Belbisi disclosed that
now the ministry is looking mainly to those 50 and above and are holding off on
easing the restrictions on younger age brackets until they witness a "good
response."
"For those who are 50
and over, they may take the vaccine without having to be registered on the
platform, or if they are registered, they don't have to wait for a message. We did
this announcement to make it easier for them to come to the vaccination center,
and get their vaccines," said Belbisi, in an interview with
Jordan News
over the phone.
However some citizens
among the targeted group still show signs of hesitancy and fear towards the
COVID vaccinations.
“I haven’t taken it
because I read a lot of external reports on people getting sick and that the
vaccine isn’t safe, and the government and the doctors trying to get people to
take the vaccine are lying to us about what it does to our bodies. I was
registered online but in the last 2 to 3 weeks, I have been in a group on
telegram and there are people explaining the danger of taking it. So even if I
can take it without being registered, I shall not. It is not just about life
and death; these things are in God’s hands, but it is about the truth,” said
Omar Al-Sardi, 62.
Saad Kharabsheh a former
health minister and member of the epidemiological committee, agreed that the
new rules are substantially significant to increasing vaccination coverage and
improving the status of the epidemic.
"I was among the
people who recommended that the ministry adopt this type of vaccination
strategy," Kharabsheh said, in an interview with
Jordan News.
Kharabsheh believes that
the electronic vaccination registration platform could delay the chance of
people securing a vaccine specifically in villages with more limited access to
internet and communication devices than the major cities.
"There is no need
to put certain obstacles in front of people. They have to go and register on
the electronic platform, then wait for an appointment, then travel more than 10
or 20 kilometers to reach the vaccination center. So we must make the vaccines more
accessible to each community," added Kharabsheh.
The doctor underlined
the importance of reaching rural communities and remote areas.
“There are health
centers in most Jordanian villages. The cadres of these centers are well
trained and equipped with the skills to give the vaccinations,” Kharabsheh added.
Jordan has hundreds of
hospitals and health centers which can administer and deliver the vaccines for
residents and citizens across the Kingdom.
Despite the fact that the
World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized Sinopharm as an effective
vaccine against COVID-19, some nations continue to show hesitancy towards the
Chinese jab.
According to Reuters, Jordan
currently ranks 60th in the world among countries with the highest number of
doses administered as of June 25.
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