by arabnews.com — NAJIA HOUSSARI — BEIRUT: Lebanon is divided over the use of masks in the battle against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with the government and medical professionals at odds over how useful they are in restricting the spread of the disease. The country has reported 17 deaths and 520 confirmed cases, an increase of 12 new cases in 24 hours. Last month, on March 15, the government imposed steps to check the spread of the virus. Measures included social distancing and wearing face masks and gloves. Doctors in TV interviews have, however, discouraged people from wearing face masks while outside because it sent the wrong message about safety and hand hygiene. “A customer would buy an average of seven masks a week in light of the circular that imposed wearing masks when going to a supermarket, bank or while driving,” pharmacist Robert Tenn told Arab News. He said the rise in the US dollar against Lebanon’s currency had led to a significant rise in the price of masks. “A box containing 50 masks is being sold for LBP100,000 ($66) when its earlier price never exceeded LBP15,000. We are referring to the regular medical mask and not the N95K, which is firmer and more effective in protecting against coronavirus and other viruses if used correctly. But nothing is a substitute for washing hands.” Lebanon was back to importing its needs from China after China resumed its exports, he added.

Architect Edgard Mekssas uses 3D printers to produce these masks. (Supplied) “There are new types of locally manufactured masks in Lebanon, and these are cheaper than the imported ones, but they lack medical standards, so I do not buy them to sell them to people. These are the product of personal efforts, and some are made of cloth that can be penetrated by viruses.” Many types of face masks have been seen in Lebanon, in different colors and designs such as khaki to suit military uniforms and black for security forces. There are also masks with logos of political parties. A Nabatiyeh-based media man, Samer Wehbe, said that the masks bearing party slogans are available in the market. He said the Amal movement is promoting green-colored masks, which is the color of the movement. “They may also use these masks with their slogan later,” he added. A resident of the southern suburb, Hassan, said: “There are street vendors offering colored masks at low prices but they are of very poor quality.” He did not rule out the possibility of political parties using their slogans on locally manufactured masks. “But people feel a bit shy using such masks publicly,” he added. The Internal Security Forces Directorate on Saturday tweeted a video showing inmates at Roumieh Central Prison making medical masks to be used by security forces and prisoners when needed. Others have also begun making masks.

by Makram Rabah — thearabweekly.com/ — In the first year of law school, students are taught that “a plaintiff will be unable to pursue legal remedy if it arises in connection with his own illegal act.” This legal doctrine, known as ex turpi causa non oritur actio, prevents someone from benefiting from wickedness and illegality, which Lebanon’s political elite have made fortunes from doing. This simple legal doctrine comes to mind when the Lebanese political elite try to justify the abysmal state of affairs and the economic collapse that they cheekily insist the Lebanese banking sector take full responsibility for. Ironically, this same banking sector has long been praised by the same political class as being the engine of Lebanon’s economy and a living testament to the myth of the country’s ingenuity and entrepreneurship — until it collapsed, that is.

The intention to scapegoat Lebanese banks is apparent from the rhetoric of the political elite, who always emphasise that banks have made millions of dollars and are thus compelled to give back to the country. In his latest televised speech, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah unleashed a new violent attack on the Lebanese banking sector with the intention or protecting small depositors, or so he claimed. Nasrallah’s sermon-style lectures have taken a clearly threatening tone. Most recently, he tacitly addressed bank owners themselves, saying: “How can we appeal to the humanity of these bank owners? I wish you [the public] can help me… figure how to address them.” “I do not want to open the many files [we have on] how they made their fortunes, although we might have to do so at a later time,” Nasrallah added.

Timour Azhari — Al Jazeera — BEIRUT, LEBANON – Lebanon’s Central Bank on Friday said depositors with small dollar-denominated accounts would soon be able to withdraw – and withdraw in local currency – money that has been trapped in the Lebanese banking system for almost half a year. The cash will be disbursed at a market rate set daily on an online platform. A senior banking source told Al Jazeera that the platform is expected to be ready within a week to 10 days, at which point the new measures may go into effect. The decision was made public in a circular released by Lebanon’s central bank. It will allow people with accounts containing $3,000 or less to withdraw their money in Lebanese pounds at the market rate, which is substantially higher than the official rate. The market rate on Friday stood at 2,800 Lebanese pounds to the United States dollar, compared to the official rate of 1,500 Lebanese pounds to the dollar, according to a daily survey of exchange dealers across the country, published online.

Lebanon’s currency has been pegged to the dollar at 1,500 Lebanese pounds for 23 years, but began depreciating on parallel markets last summer due to unsustainable financial policies that cracked under an acute dollar shortage. The dollar shortage was the result of a decade-long economic slump and a slowdown in remittances from Lebanon’s large diaspora. Suffering from a dollar liquidity issue, banks imposed increasingly harsh capital controls in November. Depositors had only been allowed to withdraw a few hundred dollars per month from dollar-denominated accounts, forcing many to withdraw cash in Lebanese pounds at the official rate, which was substantially less than the market rate and thereby caused them to incur significant losses. The decision also allows people with accounts in local currency under five million Lebanese pounds ($3,330, at the official rate) to convert their money into dollars at the official rate and then withdraw it in Lebanese pounds at the higher parallel rate. For example, a depositor with three million Lebanese pounds in his or her account would be able to convert it to $2,000 and then convert it back to Lebanese pounds at the market rate of 2,800 Lebanese pounds to the US dollar, which would equal 5.6 million Lebanese pounds. This means the account holder will effectively double his money.

by middleeastmonitor.com — In recent weeks, accusations have circulated that Hezbollah’s coronavirus response plan is a cover-up for a huge number of unreported COVID-19 cases in Lebanon. Indeed, the Lebanese government, at the Iranian-backed militia group’s urging, continued to allow commercial flights from Iran for more than three weeks after the first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in Beirut on 20 February. Despite the first case, and several subsequent ones originating from the Islamic Republic, which has the most coronavirus cases in the region. Though flights to and from Iran were officially banned from 11 March and Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport was shuttered to all but essential movements of cargo, UNIFIL and diplomatic missions from 18 March, on 21 March, a weekly scheduled Qatar Airways flight from Tehran to Beirut arrived as normal. Lebanese authorities claimed the flight carried cargo. Yet, the continuation of cross-border movement with the region’s worst infected nation, and the origin of Lebanon’s first cases, while nearby states, such as Jordan, took draconian measures to contain the disease, has stoked accusations of a cover-up.

A recent Guardian article noted that “parts of Lebanon and Iraq in particular are likely to be holding thousands more sufferers”, the report cites Lebanese officials who allege that Hezbollah has quarantined several southern towns and villages to hide the extent of the outbreak. A policy analysis from Hanin Ghaddar at the Washington Institute lends credence to this narrative and alleges that the militia group’s health plan is a recognition that it can no longer hide the extent of the coronavirus outbreak. Arguably, it is probable that Lebanon has thousands more cases of coronavirus than reported, but not that Hezbollah is hiding the extent of the outbreak. Official numbers the world over are skewed by a lack of testing, and government advice to corona-suggestive patients to stay home, despite symptoms, to avoid overwhelming healthcare services. These cases, and those that show no symptoms at all – a study in Iceland showed that half of coronavirus carriers show no symptoms – are not included in any official statistics, so it is not just Hezbollah or even Lebanon that is failing to reveal the real number of cases.

by arabnews.com — LONDON: Lebanese superstar Fairuz released a video on Friday of her praying in her home for humanity to be saved from the coronavirus pandemic. The video, which was published on her Fairuz Productions YouTube page, shows the singer seated in the corner of a room in what is presumed to be her […]

by arabnews.com — NAJIA HOUSSARI —BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities have set up a dedicated domestic violence hotline to deal with a surge in cases of physical, sexual and psychological abuse since the introduction of home quarantine over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). According to the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), the majority of reported attacks have been against women and girls. An NCLW spokesperson said: “The psychological pressures caused by the home quarantine in these circumstances (the COVID-19 pandemic), in addition to the economic pressures, have contributed to an increase of physically, morally, psychologically, emotionally and sexually abusive practices inflicted by violent individuals on abused women and girls.” The NCLW, in cooperation with Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF), has established a special phoneline linked to the ISF’s operations room along with a website for abuse victims and witnesses to report incidents of domestic violence.

Lt. Col. Joseph Msallam, head of the ISF’s public relations division, told Arab News: “March has seen a rise in the number of domestic violence complaints, which reached 48 cases. We quickly move to stop the perpetrators by order of the judicial authorities. “People are losing their temper, and we have seen an increase in quarrels that occur for ridiculous reasons such as car parking. There was a case recorded in a southern suburb of Beirut a few days ago that developed into a murder.” The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Lebanon on Thursday rose by 15 to 494, with 16 deaths and 43 recoveries. Three patients were reported to be in a critical condition and over a period of 24 hours, 539 lab tests were carried out on people suspected of having contracted the virus.

by middleeasteye.net — By Kareem Chehayeb — Lebanese nationals stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic may have to pay exorbitant prices to return home, with economy tickets costing as much as $1,800, a diplomatic source told Middle East Eye. According to another source close to the country’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines, flights are expected to commence on 5 April and are priced in US dollars, ranging from $650-1,800 in economy class, and $1,300-3,900 in business. MEE spoke to more than 15 Lebanese nationals who had applied to return home since the country imposed a travel ban on 15 March. Several said they were left to fend for themselves without proper guidance or assistance from relevant authorities.

With the Lebanese currency, the lira, losing almost 50 percent of its value in recent months, a decision by the country’s banks to restrict US dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad further compounded their problems. In an attempt to address the confusion, Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad told reporters on Wednesday that Lebanon would begin “three or four flights” from “three or four countries” on 5 April, however, she did not mention pricing. According to MEE’s source, the flights will repatriate nationals from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. None of the nationals MEE spoke to were notified that they would have to pay for their flights home.

Hesitant to repatriate nationals

Lebanon’s fragile government has been hesitant to implement a repatriation plan, fearing further cases of the coronavirus. However, the cabinet was spurred into action following political pressure from several political leaders, including Speaker Nabih Berri, who threatened to suspend his party’s’ participation in the government if the stranded nationals were not brought home. Lebanon closed its international airport on 15 March, and has since renewed that lockdown for another two weeks, extending it into mid-April. Many of the Lebanese citizens interviewed by MEE said they were unable to get flights during a four-day grace period after the initial closure or did not anticipate the situation getting worse in their respective countries. According to local French newspaper L’Orient Le Jour, about 22,000 Lebanese had submitted forms on the Foreign Ministry’s website over the past 14 days to return to Lebanon.

BY REBECCA COLLARD – Foreignpolicy.com —BEIRUT—Dozens of journalists piled into a convoy of Hezbollah-arranged vehicles on Tuesday to be transported to the movement’s newest front line: the fight against the coronavirus. Nearby, a line of dozens of paramedics stood ready but completely idle, posed in front of some of the 70 ambulances Hezbollah says it has prepared for epidemic. Trucks and men on foot from the Islamic Health Society sprayed the streets with disinfectant, filling the neighborhood of Borj el-Barajneh with the smell of chlorine. “Hezbollah is the only one doing anything. The government isn’t doing anything,” said one bystander, Hussein Zaaiter, sitting on a cement step watching the crowd of journalists next to the long row of posed paramedics and ambulances. “You can see these ambulances. You can see them disinfecting the streets.”

Zaaiter sat just a foot from his friend. Neither was wearing masks or gloves. Many on the streets of Borj el-Barajneh lingered around without masks or gloves, and pairs of young men zipped by on scooters, pressed up against each other sharing the seat. Hezbollah has also launched a large-scale awareness campaign. Others in the neighborhood seem split on who is doing what. Some say the Lebanese government is doing a good job of responding to the pandemic, but many complain of a complete lack of assistance from anyone as they face the double whammy of the coronavirus and a collapsing economy.

So far Lebanon has confirmed about 460 cases of the coronavirus and 11 deaths. The government, which includes Hezbollah, has declared a state of medical emergency, urged people to stay home, and sent the army to the streets to enforce it. But there is a very real concern that the country’s medical system will collapse under an outbreak. Lebanon has good doctors and hospitals, but the medical system is highly privatized, and the public system is poorly funded and suffers from the same sort of clientelism and patronage practices of most Lebanese institutions. Even in regular times, many Lebanese rely on the health services provided by political parties, rather than the government. The economic crisis has weakened it all. The government even put out a call to Lebanese expats to donate, including IBAN numbers for accounts in U.S. dollars and other currencies. In this new crisis, Hezbollah and Lebanon’s other traditional parties have a fresh opportunity to fill a void left by the state. And Hezbollah is stepping into the breach. “We have shed our blood in resistance, and we will not surrender in front of this epidemic,” said Hussein Fadlallah, Hezbollah’s representative for Beirut District, as he outlined the steps his organization is taking to prepare for the virus.

by washingtonpost.com –by Bill Gates — There’s no question the United States missed the opportunity to get ahead of the novel coronavirus. But the window for making important decisions hasn’t closed. The choices we and our leaders make now will have an enormous impact on how soon case numbers start to go down, how long the economy remains shut down and how many Americans will have to bury a loved one because of covid-19. Through my work with the Gates Foundation, I’ve spoken with experts and leaders in Washington and across the country. It’s become clear to me that we must take three steps. First, we need a consistent nationwide approach to shutting down. Despite urging from public health experts, some states and counties haven’t shut down completely. In some states, beaches are still open; in others, restaurants still serve sit-down meals.

This is a recipe for disaster. Because people can travel freely across state lines, so can the virus. The country’s leaders need to be clear: Shutdown anywhere means shutdown everywhere. Until the case numbers start to go down across America — which could take 10 weeks or more — no one can continue business as usual or relax the shutdown. Any confusion about this point will only extend the economic pain, raise the odds that the virus will return, and cause more deaths. Second, the federal government needs to step up on testing. Far more tests should be made available. We should also aggregate the results so we can quickly identify potential volunteers for clinical trials and know with confidence when it’s time to return to normal. There are good examples to follow: New York state recently expanded its capacity to up to more than 20,000 tests per day. There’s also been some progress on more efficient testing methods, such as the self-swab developed by the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, which allows patients to take a sample themselves without possibly exposing a health worker. I hope this and other innovations in testing are scaled up across the country soon.

by npr.org — High above the Mediterranean Sea, up a mountain wreathed in springtime mist and drizzle, is the monastery where the beloved Lebanese St. Charbel is buried. A hermit who died in 1898, Charbel was canonized in 1977. He is revered for his healing miracles among Lebanon’s Christians, who likely number at least a million. In a country where a financial crisis has left health care threadbare and unreliable, many have begun turning to the saint to ward off the coronavirus. “He gives us faith and strength, especially in this time of sickness,” said Elie Badr, standing by the tomb outside the monastery earlier this month. “He is the only cure, in my opinion.”

A museum in the monastery’s crypt exhibits prostheses and calipers — left behind by people who prayed to Charbel and recovered. The monastery itself is nearly 200 years old and follows the traditions of the Lebanese Maronite Order of monks, founded in 1695. Badr wore a mask, kept his distance and held a small bag of mud, which he had just scooped up with a spoon from the grave. He planned to boil it up at home. “St. Charbel instructed that the soil be boiled and drunk as it is a medicine,” he said. He planned to give it to his elderly aunt and mother to drink. His faith in the saint is profound, but he also believes in medical science: he is an X-ray technician in a hospital. “We try as much as we can to help the sick and provide them with services,” he said. “And with the strength of St. Charbel, we are able to do our part.”