A bitter, but effective pill

As nations across the world are scrambling to halt the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus with the global death toll on the rise, Jordan’s authorities have introduced a new batch of preventive measures against the virus.

Prime Minister Omar Razzaz announced on Saturday that all educational institutions are to be closed as of Sunday for a fortnight.

In addition, all flights to and from the Kingdom will be suspended from Tuesday, March 17, until further notice, except for commercial air traffic.

All border crossings are also closed to passenger traffic, with the Prime Ministry directing Jordanians abroad to remain where they are.

The authorities have prohibited all public events and gatherings, even at places of worship, instructing citizens not to gather for social events, including funerals and weddings.

These are vital, courageous measures for serious times. The pandemic has created grave circumstances across the world, and Jordan is rising to meet this extraordinary challenge with timely strategies.

Now is the moment to move forward with these strategies without hesitation, taking decisions based on the reality of global developments.

So far, the government’s handling of the situation across the global outbreak’s timeline through careful coordination among concerned public entities has proven successful, and, with this fact in mind, we should appreciate and respect its continued instructions.

It is now a public duty for us to do our part to fight the spread of the virus by abiding by all the safety instructions the government has issued.

Meanwhile, the government must keep on operating with the great transparency that it has shown thus far, and continue curbing the spread of fake news and intercepting quack remedies and inclinations towards panic through providing clear information to the media.

Though these instructions may seem to be a bitter pill, it is for the greater good that we follow the government’s preventive measures and strive to preserve our individual and collective health.

The age-old adage is more relevant than ever before: Prevention is better than cure.