More than 50,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in this weekend's vaccine marathon. (Credit: Marc Fayad/OLJ)
BEIRUT — The Ministry of Public Health announced on Sunday that 50,903 COVID-19 shots were given during this weekend’s vaccination marathon, which was held across Lebanon.
Here’s what we know:
• The ministry noted that 27,526 individuals had taken their first jab, 11,834 took their second shot and 11, 543 took their booster shots.
• This Pfizer vaccine marathon was set up in collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Ministry of Public Health ahead of the planned reopening of schools on Monday.
• On Dec.1, the ministerial committee for COVID-19 restrictions, chaired by Health Minister Firass Abiad, agreed to extend the winter holiday for schools and universities from Dec. 16 to Jan. 10, from the originally scheduled dates of Dec. 22 to Jan. 7 to allow schools additional time to vaccinate pupils and staff.
• In the last week, Lebanon has set new daily records for COVID-19 cases, with an all-time daily high of 7,974 cases recorded on Friday. While hospitalization rates have remained lower than during last year’s winter surge, a number of schools have maintained that it is not yet safe to reopen for classes and some have pushed back their return dates