Crisis-weary Beirut residents defy new lockdown despite COVID surge

featured image

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Beirut’s popular Sabra market burst with consumers today, some of them unmasked, in evident defiance of a complete national lockdown imposed on Saturday to stem a renewal of coronavirus infections.

The Lebanese government purchased the two-week limitations, including a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew on Sundays, as new daily infections increased above 1,000

Lebanon reported 1,016 new infections on Monday, bringing its total to 106,446 cases and 827 deaths because Feb. 21.

After city streets and roads cleared on Sunday, pedestrians were back on Monday and some drivers could be seen flouting a re-imposed odd-even licence plate alternate day driving rule.

” This doesn’t work … As you can see, people are on the streets, they (authorities) should have, from the beginning, followed a specific strategy that does not damage the economy and supports our circumstance because we’re special in Lebanon,” cab driver Mahdi Msheik told Reuters Tv.

” Besides corona( virus), we have another crisis, the bank crisis. You can’t completely closed down since if you do, there are individuals who deal with a daily basis, what do you make with them?”

Even prior to the pandemic, Lebanon was reeling from a financial crisis that crashed the currency and paralysed banks, freezing savers out of their deposits.

” We’re going to get some food, but there’s no lockdown here. Go see the highways, no odd or perhaps (car) plates, everyone’s out,” said Rami Fathalla, a beauty parlor employee.

” More individuals are not complying and have no masks. This is wrong, specifically in a popular market,” stated Mohammed Noureddine as he patronized Sabra market.

The brand-new lockdown has, nevertheless, seen more checkpoints on highways, with police handing out tickets for those flouting rules.

(Reporting by Alaa Kanaan, Composing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Learn More

https://cnacertificationprogram.net/crisis-weary-beirut-residents-defy-new-lockdown-despite-covid-surge/

Comments