Caretaker Interior Minister: Lebanon to Reopen Businesses in Four Stages

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanon is set to gradually reopen businesses starting Monday in four stages, as the full-day curfew remains in place, the caretaker interior minister announced as the country registered a record number of COVID-19 fatalities.

Caretaker Interior Minister Mohammad Fahmi said that each stage will go into effect every two weeks with the first one kicking off Monday. Certain businesses will be allowed to operate with limited capacity and under strict virus prevention measures. People must still use the online platform to request permission to leave their homes for essential errands.

In line with the government’s reopening plan, local media reported that the first stage will see supermarkets open with customers allowed in after presenting their online permission form. Food and beverage factories will also be allowed to operate with limited capacity and employees will be required to take the PCR test every 14 days. Commercial banks will be allowed to open and operate at 20 percent capacity.

During stage two, car dealerships, bus drivers, construction projects and licensed factories can resume work. No employee over the age of 60 is allowed to work and other employees are required to undergo the PCR test every 30 days.

During stage three, factories and banks will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity and other industries will be allowed to operate. Employees will still be required to take the PCR test every 30 days.

During the final stage, restaurants, Casino du Liban, tourism establishments, indoor swimming pools, gyms, beaches and all other sectors can resume business. Those over the age of 60 will be allowed to work.

A decision on the education sector will be taken in accordance to the health situation in the country as the stage four plan goes into motion.

Transition from one stage to the other will be carried out after the country’s public health situation is evaluated by the government, which includes virus figures, the readiness of hospitals to take in coronavirus patients and their ICU bed occupancy rates.

Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab earlier and that the total lockdown period would end Sunday.

"On Sunday the total lockdown ends, but Monday will not be a regular day," Diab was quoted as saying by local media during the ministerial coronavirus committee meeting at the Grand Serail.

The caretaker prime minister said the strict measures as the ones in place during the total lockdown imposed from Jan.14 until the morning of Feb. 8 will continue to be implemented.

Meanwhile Lebanon registered its highest death record in 24 hours, with 98 coronavirus-related fatalities.

The country faced an unprecedented surge in daily coronavirus infections and deaths in the new year pushing the country into yet another crisis as the health care sector became overwhelmed with ICU beds reaching full capacity and a shortage of vital medical supplies.

Head of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital Dr. Firass Abiad Friday said the country should remain under a total lockdown for another week as coronavirus cases remain "stubbornly high."

However, with Lebanon's precarious economic and social reality, the government chose to avoid extending the total lockdown.