Lebanese social media users were apparently provoked by a video showing Lebanese singer Nelly Makdessy receiving a COVID-19 vaccine shot in Beirut.
The backlash was caused by two factors: the first being that Makdessy is not part of the groups that were given priority to take the vaccine, and the second was that she was receiving the Chinese vaccine, which is not available in Lebanon yet.
As a result, some social media users accused the artist of using “nepotism” to get hold of vaccine shots for herself and her family, while others simply questioned how she was able to receive it this early.
Makdessy responded to the accusations after confirming to LBCI on Thursday that she and her family had received the first shot of the Chinese vaccine (Sinovac) in Beirut earlier this week, “and thank God, I don’t feel any side effects.”
She explained: “The Chinese vaccine was secured for me and my family from Dubai, and it was brought to Lebanon. I asked my CMC doctor to administer it to me.” She also denied that she had violated the Lebanese authorities’ priority system for the vaccines.
“We are not talking here about the Pfizer vaccine, but the Chinese vaccine, and therefore I did not receive the vaccine through the Lebanese state,” she said.
Lebanon received its first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine doses last week, and vaccination has commenced at hospitals and medical centers across the country, with priority for medical workers and elderly citizens.
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