On Monday, panic buyers hurried to local supermarkets after the government held a meeting to discuss a tighter lockdown, including the shut down of all kinds of businesses.
Lengthy lines were seen outside chain supermarkets, as fear reached unprecedented high levels upon the people.
Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Monday that the country has entered a “very critical zone” in the battle against the coronavirus. In consequence, his government officially announced that they will be tightening the nationwide lockdown announced last week.
A ‘state of health emergency‘ will begin between January 14th till the 25th. It will include a total lockdown and round-the-clock curfew in an attempt to contain the dramatic surge of COVID-19 that has left the health sector on the verge of collapse.
After mere speculations regarding a complete lockdown, shelves in supermarkets have already cleared out, leaving no supplies to other people waiting in line.
The panic of the citizens was also reflected in the unwelcome distinction of hosting Lebanon’s worst traffic yet.
Starting Thursday, supermarkets will only be able to operate through deliveries without providing in-store services.
Here is everything to know about the stricter lockdown, its measures and exemptions.
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.