BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon kicked off their COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Sunday with the introduction of a head of emergency care at its largest public hospital, followed by 93-year-old Lebanese actor and comedian Salah Tizani.
Fighting a sharp spike in diseases a few weeks ago that have overtaken their health care system, Lebanon delivered 28,500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Saturday, the first batch of 2.1 million doses administered reach in stages throughout the year.
Delays in signing a contract to purchase a vaccine and roll out an inoculation program have caused frustration in Lebanon. The World Bank, which helped fund the first batch of doses, has said it would monitor the inoculation campaign to make sure the scenes go to those most in need.
“I will not be getting the vaccine today, because today is not my turn and the priority is for the medical department that did its duty and made great sacrifices,” said Prime Minister Hassan Diab, caretaker at reporters at Rafik Hariri hospital, where Lebanon The first case of coronavirus was introduced about a year ago.
Tizani, better known by his stage name Abou Salim, encouraged everyone to get the vaccine.
“For those who are afraid to get the vaccine, I swear by God, it is a protection for them,” he said.
The country has also seized 2.7 million doses through the global COVAX scheme for poor countries and officials say talks are underway for about 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The total number of doses ordered so far would cover about half of Lebanon’s population of more than six million, which includes at least a million refugees from Syria.
Lebanon has been under a 24-hour curfew for nearly a month, although the government began lifting some restrictions this week.
Reporting by Maha El Dahan; further recitation by Alaa Kanaan; Edited by Raissa Kasolowsky