Lebanon has extended the COVID-19 lockdown with a 24-hour curfew and introduced new exemptions that will be applied gradually to help the country’s slow journey to reopening.
The ministers of interior and health announced that the country’s reopening will take place in 4 stages; each stage extending for 2 weeks.
1st Stage
During the first stage, people not included in the initial lockdown decision’s curfew exemptions will still be required to have a permit exempting them from the 24-hour curfew for the day, which they can attain online.
Supermarkets will open in limited operational capacity (20%) while maintaining delivery services, and people may go to supermarkets as long as they have valid 2-hour permission from the Internal Security Forces’ online platform.
Additionally, factories related to poultry, agriculture, husbandry, and dairy will reopen, under the condition that their employees undergo PCR tests every 14 days.
Banks will also reopen during the first stage, with a 20% operational capacity.
2nd Stage
The following businesses and services will reopen and operate during the second stage:
- Car dealerships
- Auto repair shops
- Laundry services
- Taxis
- Buses
- Construction works
- Licensed factories, with a 40% operational capacity
It is to note that citizens over the age of 60 may not work during this stage, and routine PCR tests for employees will be mandatory.
3rd Stage
During this stage, all types of trade not mentioned in the previous stages will be reopened, and banks and factories will raise their operational capacity to 50%.
PCR tests every 30 days will be mandatory for employees, and citizens older than 60 may not work during this period either.
4th Stage
During the 4th and final stage of the reopening plan, venues and restaurants will reopen, and so will Casino Du Liban, historical and touristic sites, and internal swimming pools.
The 30-day PCR testing rule and the working restriction for citizens over 60 will continue to apply during this stage as well.
It’s important to note that the transition between one stage and another will take place following the monitoring of health indicators throughout each stage, upon which the Health Ministry determines the readiness – or lack thereof – of the medical sector for the next step.
We have a dedicated coronavirus section where you can find the latest news/updates about the pandemic in Lebanon, inform yourself with WHO-verified resources, and track the number of cases in Lebanon in real-time. Click here.
