Day 10 – 12 of Jordan lockdown: Produce and Progress
Today’s a blustery day (Day 12 of lockdown, Wednesday 1 April, 2020) so we will probably not spend our usual deck time with backgammon and conversation, as on the previous days. But we made a one-hour foray on the quiet streets to a local store.
We have now figured out how to re-supply ourselves with all basic food items and even some specialty edibles. For standard things, we were cheered to find that the neighborhood fruit and veg shops re-opened with plenty of produce. We can shop at these from 10 to 6.
As the number of people inside at any one time is strictly limited, these local stores offer a much better setup than the busy central souq and encourage people in remain in their own neighborhoods. That’s why we didn’t understand why they had been closed at all; perhaps it was just a re-supply problem. In all the local stores, neighbors happily have stepped up their use of masks and gloves, and maintain good distancing in queues to enter.
For specialty items, like imports and vegetarian “meats,” we found two resources. One came from that expatriates’ page on Facebook where we also found our vodka source. The other was an ordering platform developed “voluntarily” by the Arabia Weather website’s techies. Perhaps use of that team explained why drizzle kept spreading over the ordering webpage. Over 2300 stores and dozens of online delivery services are listed, though many stores seemed overwhelmed with demand at first. Some of our food deliveries have progressed like a streetside drug deal, but all is legit under Jordan’s covid rules.
How well is Jordan doing against the virus? The country reported only 13 new cases Sunday, 9 Monday, and just 6 yesterday – all of whom were traceable to a handful of clusters whose contacts are being tested, including the infamous wedding in Irbid. All good news. Many of the confirmed cases have recovered already, with just three deaths, elderly people with other health problems.
We’re still impressed by how well the government is operating. On Monday night, with extreme caution, it resettled into their homes each of the 1,954 people already quarantined in posh hotels for two weeks after they flew into the country. That group included two Jordanian royals. Tuesday night 1,148 non-Jordanians were also moved from hotels. Everyone was tested before the move and is required to self-quarantine at home for another two weeks until re-testing. The government thoughtfully gave them some flowers to celebrate. Already a man who violated that quarantine has been arrested.
Throughout each day, furthermore, the military supervises an extensive sterilization and cleaning of buildings, public facilities, apartment complexes, bakeries and shops, as well as refuse.
It’s no wonder that a new survey found some 90% of Jordanians feel the government, praised for its “transparency,” is “on the right track” with its lockdown and curfew regulations. But no system completely eases people’s worries: a majority wisely remain fearful of covid-19 and 11% worry about securing food. 10% question whether citizens are taking the pandemic seriously enough or committing sufficiently to regulations.
That’s a small number. But the country’s leaders still continue to promote compliance: “Every minute we remain at home [and practice social distancing] brings us miles closer to victory against the pandemic,” the Minister of Health stressed. “Today, Jordan resists, and we shall win, inshallah.”
