Starting Monday, April 20th, the curfew in Lebanon will be reduced by 1 hour. This decision was made by the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Mohammad Fehmi, and released as a circular on Sunday.
The circular adjusted the start time of the daily nighttime curfew to 8 PM instead of 7 PM, until five in the morning, during which “it is forbidden to leave homes and roam the streets,” the Interior Ministry stated.
The same circular also changed the restrictions on the opening hours of some businesses.
The ministry decided that retail shops that sell sweets, pastries, water, as well as roasteries, mills, and fast-food restaurants (including fava bean restaurants) will be allowed to open from 5 AM until 8 PM.
Moreover, butcher shops, supermarkets, mini markets, and retail stores that sell fish, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and poultry are also included in this decision, under the same opening hours.
However, the Interior Ministry noted that the businesses allowed to open are subject to some conditions.
Shops mentioned in the first list of businesses should care to maintain proper distances between customers and workers, organize lines according to proper health measures, and prevent people from crowding in the stores.
The businesses of the second list, on the other hand, are not allowed to open their doors or receive customers entirely. They are allowed to rely strictly on free delivery when operating, according to the Interior Ministry.
The decision becomes active on Monday, April 20th and is subject to change in accordance with what the Lebanese government decides regarding COVID-19 in the coming days.
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