Coronavirus: Jordan lifts ban on Friday prayers

Worshippers can walk to mosque on Friday but other restrictions remain in place

epa03313814 The crescent moon is seen above a minaret of a Jordanian mosques at sunset in Amman, Jordan, 21 July 2012, on the second day of the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims across the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk.  EPA/JAMAL NASRALLAH
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Jordan on Sunday lifted a ban on Friday prayers that was imposed almost six weeks ago to counter a surge in Covid-19 deaths and infections.

Worshippers will be allowed to leave their homes on foot for one hour on Friday to attend the prayers, the government said.

It said the decision was made during Cabinet discussions about the “pandemic condition” in the country, but gave no more details.

The ban was part of new virus rules imposed on March 11, which also extended curfew hours and further restricted business opening times.

The Health Ministry on Sunday announced 68 new coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 8,246 in the country of 10 million people.

Close to 686,000 people in Jordan have been infected, based on testing data.

Doctors say actual infections among the population have been far higher.

Ramadan restrictions this year are less severe than they were in 2020.

Last year there was an all-day lockdown for the first 10 days of the holy month, and people were not allowed to use their cars.

The bans were later eased and people were allowed to use their cars on assigned days.

All mosque prayers were banned and there were few flights to or from Amman’s airport.

This year, neither group iftars nor Ramadan tents were allowed. Restaurants are closed for dining in but can stay open for deliveries until 3am.

The government said restaurants inside hotels could stay open for dine-in meals until 8.30pm.