This weekly update aims to inform our readers of the legal and regulatory measures adopted by the Lebanese authorities to mitigate the impact of the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Lebanon.

 

Here is the list of measures taken between May 11 and May 18, 2020:

1. Ministry of Interior. – Memorandum n˚51/am/2020: On May 17, 2020, the Ministry of the Interior issued a Memorandum that provided for the following measures:

• The prohibition of all circulation between the hours of 7pm and 5am.
• The restriction of all circulation during weekdays according to the odd/even system.
• The authorization of all circulation on Sundays.
• The exclusion of certain vehicles from the restrictions on circulation.
• The determination of the opening hours of: public institutions and governement agencies, wholesalers, factories and production companies, retailers, banking and financial institutions, isurance companies, liberal professions, construction companies, restaurants and coffehouses, gas stations, etc.
• Cinemas, Malls and casinos shall remain closed.
• Schools and universities shall remain closed until a decision has been made the ministry of education.

2. Ministry of Interior. – Decision n˚582: On May 13, 2020, the Ministry of the Interior issued a decision ordering the closing of businesses, private companies, banking institutions, educational institutions, markets and coporate entities between May 13, 2020 and May 18, 2020. The decision excluded institutions of the healthcare, industrial, agricultural and food sectors. The decision also prohibits circulations between the hours of 6pm and 5am on weekdays and all day on May 17, 2020.

3. Ministry of Labor.- Circular of May 13, 2020: The Ministry of Labor issued health and professional safety guidelines for retail stores that have reopened.

These guidelines provide for:

• The designation of a Point of Contact tasked with gathering the contact details of all employees.
• The execution of systematic health checks when a person enters the premises.
• The need to wear masks and to uphold social distancing measures such as keeping a distance of 1.5 meters between customers and reducing the cacpacity of customers to 1 customer per every 18 m².
• The implementation of strict cleaning and sterilization measures.
• The need to raise awareness amongst employees on the spread of Covid-19 and the implementation of strict hygiene and social distancing measures between employees.

The Circular also provides for specific measures to be implemented by clothing & accories stores and cosmetics shops.

4. Council of Ministers. – Decision of May 12, 2020: The Council of Ministers imposed a 4-day lockdown starting from May 13, 2020 and ending on May 18, 2020.

For any additional information about the legal issues raised by Covid-19, please do not hesitate to contact our Firm.