COVID-19 has started to resurge in Lebanon with a notable increase in infections, raising warnings of a potentially merciless wave. In this context, Abdel Latif El-Tiriaki, President of the Union of Labor Syndicates in Sidon and the South, stated that "amid successive crises and rapid collapses in the economy, politics, and society, and in light of the growing phenomenon of official indifference regarding the recovery plan and addressing the crisis, which threaten a serious social explosion, the COVID-19 pandemic has reappeared with a significant rise in the number of infections, and thus we must revert to necessary measures such as physical distancing and wearing masks to protect health."
He further urged workers to "adopt the best protection methods and get vaccinated to safeguard themselves and their families amid high medicine prices and the rising costs of healthcare."
In parallel, a coordinating meeting for the health security committee was held at the Union of Municipalities of Tyre, attended by the head of the unit, Mortada Mehanna, the head of the Tyre medical department, Dr. Wissam Ghazal, and members of the health security committee. They discussed the alarming and increasing number of COVID-19 infections (both residents and newcomers) within a short period, stating, "This puts us in front of a new wave of COVID-19, which is expected to be more contagious and spread faster based on the epidemiological developments in the district."
The attendees emphasized the "necessity of adhering to preventive measures (wearing masks and minimizing social interactions), following the guidelines from the Ministry of Public Health regarding the need for quarantine for those exhibiting symptoms, and the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, especially since the vaccination rate remains low, not exceeding 45%. All scientific studies and reports from the World Health Organization conclude that the vaccine protects against virus complications, prevents hospital admissions, and reduces mortality."
They also acknowledged that "in light of the crippling economic crisis that has exhausted the health sector and healthcare on all levels (loss of medicines and a severe shortage of resources related to intensive care for COVID-19 patients, along with rising healthcare costs), the best option remains prevention and the implementation of all recommendations and guidelines issued by the Council of Ministers' COVID-19 committee to avoid any potential infections or harm."
