Lebanon begins phase two of easing lockdown

Lebanon on Monday entered the second phase of lifting restrictions imposed by a lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus amid a deepening economic crisis. 

Travel agents, car dealerships, mechanics, car washes and flower shops will be allowed to re-open. On-site construction work can also resume but company offices remain closed, a statement from a government task force said.

Banks, factories and other essential businesses, which re-opened two weeks ago, will be allowed to increase their capacity by up to 50 percent, under the new phase.

People who wish to leave their homes are still required to apply for special permission via an online platform, the statement added. 

Read also: Palestinian refugees in Lebanon three times more likely to die of Covid-19

Lebanon has been under lockdown since mid-January after an unprecedented spike in cases blamed on holiday gatherings forced overwhelmed hospitals to turn away patients.

The country launched its Covid-19 vaccination drive on 14 February, with jabs for healthcare workers and those aged over 75.

The World Bank has allocated $34 million to inoculate an initial two million of Lebanon's six million inhabitants.

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