“Lebanon will receive the vaccine in mid-February in
instalments,” it said in a statement.
“It will cover 15 percent of the population.”
The ministry said it would later secure “additional
vaccines” to cover another 20 percent of the population as part of an agreement
with COVAX, without specifying which brand.
COVAX is an international initiative that aims to ensure
equitable access to coronavirus vaccines for all countries.
The ministry said the vaccines would be made available via
the private sector.
Lebanon, with a population of around six million, has
recorded 171,662 coronavirus cases, including 1,394 deaths, since its outbreak
started in February.
Ahead of the Christmas holidays, the government pushed back
a night curfew to 3:00 am and allowed nightclubs and bars to reopen.
This prompted criticism from health professionals who warned
bed occupancy in hospital intensive care units was running critically low.
Lebanon is grappling with its worst economic crisis since
the 1975-1990 civil war.
The Lebanese pound has lost more than two thirds of its
value on the black market, leading prices to skyrocket.
More than half of the population is trapped in poverty,
according to the United Nations.
AFP