Hasan Reassures on Measures Taken for Expat Return

Health Minister Hamad Hasan on Sunday reassured that the health safety measures authorities have taken as part of the expat return plan are “very serious and at a high level of professionalism.”

“Health Ministry crews will head to the planes and will accompany the returnees at the medical and health levels,” Hasan said at Beirut’s airport shortly before the arrival of the first evacuation plane from Riyadh.

“The crews will divide the travelers into four groups and will take swabs after which the travelers will head to specific hotels” in special buses, the minister added.

“The results of PCR tests will come out in six hours, after which those who tested negative will be able to head home escorted by security forces,” he said.

“We do not lack the ability to follow up on 10,000 Lebanese returnees and we call on our people to be reassured but also cooperative,” Hasan added.

Urging respect for the instructions, the minister called on the returnees’ relatives to avoid gatherings and celebratory scenes.

“This would protect everyone and facilitate the return of others,” he said.

He also noted that authorities will monitor the returnees’ level of commitment to the needed quarantine measures and will take decisions regarding the upcoming flights accordingly.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab has announced that 20,000 to 21,000 expats have registered their names to return to Lebanon and that the process might take several weeks.

The first phase of the evacuation plan will end next Sunday and the second phase will be between April 27 and May 4.

The plan gives the priority to the return of citizens who have chronic illnesses, the elderly, families, those who have critical social situations and those who left on short-term visas.

The returnees will pay for their travel tickets while financial assistance from Middle East Airlines and donators is expected to be offered to stranded students.

Lebanon has so far confirmed 527 coronavirus cases among them 18 deaths.