The number of daily COVID-19 cases is continuing to decline in Lebanon, a reliable indicator of compliance about a month into lockdown, coinciding with the start of the first vaccination phase.
Last week, Lebanon recorded the lowest daily infection rate in a month, reaching less than 1739 cases. This is attributed to the decline in the number of PCR examinations and the general lockdown imposed by the Lebanese authorities.
In this context, Rafik Hariri Hospital Director Firas Abiad explains that the number of tests has declined because citizens are staying home, so those who come in contact quarantine at home instead of taking the test.
Abiad emphasized the need for citizens to be vaccinated, as its importance stems from its protection from severe symptoms, making the likelihood of requiring hospital treatment and being put on a ventilator extremely low.
The first shipment of Pfizer vaccines, which included 28,500 jabs, arrived in Lebanon last Saturday. According to the Lebanese government’s plan, the first round of vaccinations will be reserved for medical staff and over-seventy-fives.
Lebanon signed a contract with Pfizer for more than a million jabs, which will be sent over the next few weeks. They will be added to the 2.7 million jabs supplied through the international COVAX initiative launched to support countries with limited resources.
Registration on the government-launched platform for booking vaccinations has been limited. Less than half a million people have registered, while the government seeks to vaccinate more 1.5 million residents by the end of the year.
More than 340,800 coronavirus cases and 4000 coronavirus-caused deaths have been recorded in Lebanon.
