JORDAN 09.03.2020 –
In a picturesque compound in the desert of Jordan sits a quarantine site run by Area Support Group-Jordan.
This compound is temporary home to service members and contractors coming into the country from another location.
“We are in quarantine for 14 days,” said Cpt. Amanda Chen a Task Force Spartan liaison officer to the U.S. Embassy in Jordan.
A two-week quarantine is a standard requirement to protect the force from infection and to respect the safety of their host nations.
Depending on your arrival date you are grouped together into cohorts with other persons just coming into country. There are strict control measures in place to ensure that all persons in quarantine are properly screened for COVID-19, and maintain separation from other cohorts.
“Every day I get my temperature checked to verify that I have not developed any symptoms,” said Chen. “I feel safe here.”
While quarantine can be monotonous at times as troops wait to be medically cleared, there are some benefits.
“All the buildings have internet,” said Chen. “It’s better than the internet at my previous location and it’s free!”
This connection allows for a line to the outside world.
“I’ve used the internet to contact my loved one, specifically my wife,” said Chen.
Being together for two weeks, it’s inevitable that cohorts bond over a shared experience.
“Being together with specific people you get closer to them,” said Chen. “You're all in this together!”