Rafik Hariri University Hospital announced that it will receive the first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against COVID-19 from the Ministry of Public Health tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, as it is one of the officially accredited vaccination centers by the ministry.
The National News Agency reported a statement from the hospital indicating that these vaccines will be stored immediately upon receipt in refrigerators prepared according to the required storage standards. The statement added that the hospital will begin its first vaccination campaign against the pandemic for healthcare workers within the hospital on Sunday, February 14. It was noted that during the launch of this campaign, a team of trained specialists will provide a detailed explanation of the vaccination process and the procedures in place at the center.
Health Minister in the caretaker government, Dr. Hamad Hassan, will receive the first shipment of Pfizer vaccines at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut tomorrow afternoon.
In a related context, MP Jihad al-Samad urged "Lebanese citizens in general and residents of the Minieh-Dannieh district in particular, to quickly register their names on the platform designated by the Ministry of Public Health to receive the coronavirus vaccine, as the vaccine provides protection for them, their families, and their community and helps reduce the spread of the virus among citizens." He stated: "We hope that people do not heed rumors about possible side effects of the vaccine and listen only to specialists and doctors, as getting vaccinated has become more than necessary to face a virus that has claimed the lives of many of the best young people in the district, whom we have lost forever, and we hope not to lose more."
Samad urged municipalities and local leaders to "conduct campaigns in their towns and villages for this purpose, encouraging citizens to register their names in preparation for vaccination, as it has become clear that the number of those who have registered on the platform from the Minieh-Dannieh district is very low, despite the high and concerning number of virus cases in the district."
