On Friday, Lebanon’s ministerial committee on COVID-19 announced the continuation of the lockdown with some exceptions that will ease the way to the gradual reopening of the country.
Heading the committee’s meeting, caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab explained that Lebanon will see a partial reopening, with priority to essential sectors, all while adhering to the preventative health measures.
While the lockdown ends on Sunday evening, Diab said that Monday will not be a normal day.
“We will continue to implement strict measures that prevent returning to the pre-lockdown stage,” he said, adding that some sectors will be allowed to open on specific conditions.
According to Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi, the reopening of the country will happen very slowly and in four stages, with each stage extending for a length of 2 weeks.
During the first phase, the 24-hour curfew will continue and people will be expected to have a permit in order to leave their homes. Only essential sectors will be allowed to reopen such as supermarkets and banks.
If followed properly, this will cautiously allow the country to reopen and will help ensure public safety and avoid a total resurgence of the infections.
The Interior Ministry is set to release a full list of rules and exemptions later tonight.
We have a dedicated coronavirus section where you can find the latest news/updates about the pandemic in Lebanon, inform yourself with WHO-verified resources, and track the number of cases in Lebanon in real-time. Click here.
