Canada and the UN have both praised Jordan for this week rolling out Covid-19 vaccines to refugees as well as its own nationals concurrently.
Jordan began its first public inoculations on Wednesday with hospitals in the northern provinces of Irbid and Mafraq giving out the first doses.
The government has begun vaccinating the most vulnerable and the elderly, with people registering through an online portal and being given an appointment by text message. Around 200,000 have registered for vaccination in the first wave.
Raia Alkabasi, an Iraqi living in the northern city of Irbid, became the first refugeeto receive a vaccine on Thursday.
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“Once again, Jordan has shown exemplary leadership and solidarity in hosting refugees. The country has included refugees in every aspect of the public health response to the pandemic, including the national vaccination campaign, proving how it should be done if we are to keep everyone safe,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
He tweeted on Saturday to again praise the “generous leadership” of Jordan for vaccinating the displaced alongside its own nationals.
“Of 90 countries currently developing Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, 51 have decided to include refugees,” he said. “Jordan, host to a large refugee population, has been one of the first to do this – once more showing generous leadership. Inclusion of all is key to beating the pandemic,” Mr Grandi said.
“The vast majority of the world’s refugees are hosted in low- and middle-income countries. The international community must do more to support host governments with access to the vaccines. Global and equitable access is what will ultimately protect lives and stem the pandemic,” he said.
Since the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Jordan’s refugee population last September, 1,928 refugees living in refugee camps have tested positive for the virus, the UNHCR said.
In Jordan, like elsewhere, the true number of cases is thought to be significantly higher than the reported cases due to testing constraints. Jordan has registered 313,000 cases of Covid-19 and 4,121 deaths.
Canada's international development minister joined Mr Grandi’s praise.
Karina Gould told The Canadian Press news agency that the first refugee receiving a vaccination in Jordan was an important milestone in ending the global pandemic.
“It brings an early glimmer of hope to the most vulnerable people right across the globe as we fight this terrible pandemic,” she said.
Canada has provided millions in aid to assist Jordan hosting refugees and displaced peoples from conflicts in neighbouring Iraq and Syria.
About 10 per cent of Jordan's population are refugees, including 661,997 Syrians registered with UNHCR, more than 65,000 Iraqis, 15,000 Yemenis, 6,000 Sudanese and 2,500 from 52 other countries.
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
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