Firass Abiad, at the end of July 2021, a few weeks before his appointment as health minister in the government of Najib Mikati. (Credit: AFP Photo)
BEIRUT – Health Minister Firas Abiad, speaking to local news outlet Al Saham, said that the decision to place the country in another lockdown will depend on the number and scale of COVID-19 infections.
Here’s what we know:
• “The real decision is in the hands of the population and not the ministry. Get vaccinated and wear your masks and the country won’t go into lockdown,” the minister said in an interview published Friday.
• The minister reported that some hospitals are already facing capacity issues, with “95 percent of hospitals being full in certain regions, such as Akkar or Nabatiye.” He highlighted the importance of increasing Lebanon’s inoculation rate as a preemptive means of avoiding a crisis, praising recent vaccination marathons that have taken place throughout the country.
• Abiad outlined a plan to cooperate with hospitals to guarantee that each region has the capacity to receive patients. “[The ministry] will convert all hospital beds to beds for COVID victims if need be,” he said.
• The health minister’s comments come as new measures meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 come into effect today, including a nightly curfew for the unvaccinated or anyone who cannot produce a negative PCR test less than 48 hours old, and new regulations on incoming travelers.
• Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi also emphasized his commitment to the strict enforcement of health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 ahead of the approaching holiday season.