Govt. Closes Private, Public Institutions, Shuts Airport from Wednesday
The government on Sunday declared “general mobilization” over the coronavirus crisis and announced a two-week lockdown of the country.
The lockdown measures include asking citizens to “stay home unless it is extremely necessary” and a two-week closure of public and private institutions as well as the airport and the land and sea ports of entry.
The airport will be closed from Wednesday until March 29 to all flights except for cargo planes and passenger planes carrying UNIFIL members, diplomatic crews, staff of international organizations and employees of firms linked to oil and gas drilling in Block 4 of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Lebanese citizens, foreign family members and holders of Lebanese residency permits will meanwhile be allowed to return to Lebanon from March 15 until March 18 on the condition that they test negative for coronavirus after taking PCR tests.
“This decision does not apply to those coming from countries already under a travel ban: France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain, the UK, Italy, Iran, China (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), and South Korea,” the Cabinet said in a statement issued after an emergency meeting and recited by Information Minister Manal Abdul Samad.
The closure of institutions, from March 15 until March 29, will meanwhile exclude public institutions that perform vital tasks and private firms related to “food security” and the medical sector as well as banks, money exchange shops and import and export companies.
“We are in a health emergency and the government declares general mobilization until March 29,” Prime Minister Hassan Diab said after the cabinet session.
“It is time for cooperation, mobilizing capabilities, volunteering and making initiatives to save others and the Lebanese,” he added.
Calling on the Lebanese to show solidarity, Diab announced that so far, Lebanon has managed to “slow the spread of the virus.”
“We have devised a scientific strategy to protect the Lebanese,” he said.
“We have taken preventative measures and Lebanon has managed to contain the first wave of the virus,” he added.
Lebanon has so far confirmed 99 coronavirus cases including three deaths, according to a Health Ministry statement issued at noon Sunday.
Educational institutions, restaurants, nightclubs, pubs, cafes, exhibitions, parks, cinemas, malls and other gathering venues have been closed since several days as part of the measures against the virus.
Source: Naharnet
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