Lebanon’s ministry of health said on Wednesday it will delay administering the AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine until it is deemed safe by international health organisations.
More than 20 other countries suspended use of the shot after a small number of recipients experienced blood clots.
A batch of the vaccines were due to arrive in mid-March but their delivery has been postponed by the company, caretaker health minister Hamad Hasan told a local radio station.
“The ministry will not take a rushed decision that will endanger citizens’ health,” he said.
Mr Hasan said the ministry would wait until Thursday, when the European Medicines Agency is due to reach a decision on the vaccine’s safety.
Lebanon secured 2.73 million shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the Covax platform, enough to cover 20 per cent of its population. It ordered an additional 1.5 million doses from the company directly.
“There are positive indications that the blood clots are not associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine,” Dr Assem Araji, head of the health, work and social affairs parliamentary committee, said on Twitter. “Only science can decide.”
The slowness of Lebanon’s vaccine programme is prompting concern about a potential resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
The Ministry of Health had promised to vaccinate the majority of the population by the end of the year, but health experts are sceptical this target will be reached.
“At this vaccination rate, it would take us years to inoculate 80 per cent of the population,” said Dr Amin Kazzi, president of the Lebanese Society for Emergency Medicine. “What they consider to be an achievement is just another failed attempt.”
Dr Firass Abiad, manager of Beirut’s public Rafik Hariri University Hospital, issued a warning of an increase in admissions and deaths after an “upward trend and impending wave” of cases.
Hospitals are bracing themselves for another Covid-19 surge, similar to the one that brought the health sector to its knees in January after Christmas and New Year celebrations.
"Capacity is not just about beds," Dr Kazzi told The National. "You need nurses and physicians to take care of the patients, and those are leaving the country."
Dr Kazzi said 30 per cent of healthcare workers have already left Lebanon, while 20 per cent are in the process of leaving. Compounding crises have made it increasingly difficult to sustain a living in Lebanon.
On Tuesday, March 16, the Lebanese pound recorded a new low on the market, trading at 15,000 to the US dollar.
Sporadic protests broke out in several areas as people took to the streets in protest against their dire living situation.
To curb the spread of the virus, a lockdown is needed – but unaffordable.
ESCWA, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, said more than half of Lebanon’s population is trapped under the poverty line.
The Lebanese pound has lost nearly 90 per cent of its value in the past year, while food prices increased by more than 400 per cent, Bloomberg reported.
Lebanon’s most vulnerable groups have borne the brunt of the crisis alone, with no safety net or financial aid from the government.
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
RESULT
Manchester United 1 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Man United: Dunk (66' og)
Man of the Match: Shane Duffy (Brighton)
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico
Europa League group stage draw
Group A: Villarreal, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Astana, Slavia Prague.
Group B: Dynamo Kiev, Young Boys, Partizan Belgrade, Skenderbeu.
Group C: Sporting Braga, Ludogorets, Hoffenheim, Istanbul Basaksehir.
Group D: AC Milan, Austria Vienna , Rijeka, AEK Athens.
Group E: Lyon, Everton, Atalanta, Apollon Limassol.
Group F: FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow, Sheriff Tiraspol, FC Zlin.
Group G: Vitoria Plzen, Steaua Bucarest, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, FC Lugano.
Group H: Arsenal, BATE Borisov, Cologne, Red Star Belgrade.
Group I: Salzburg, Marseille, Vitoria Guimaraes, Konyaspor.
Group J: Athletic Bilbao, Hertha Berlin, Zorya Luhansk, Ostersund.
Group K: Lazio, Nice, Zulte Waregem, Vitesse Arnhem.
Group L: Zenit St Petersburg, Real Sociedad, Rosenborg, Vardar
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Scream%20VI
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
