Hassan Meets Aoun, Says General Lockdown a Possibility

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan on Friday met with President Michel Aoun in Baabda and discussed with him the latest developments related to the coronavirus crisis in the country.

“A general lockdown decision would be bold and it requires a serious approach from all parties. We discussed with the president the proposals that can be made in this regard to prevent a situation that is more disastrous than the one we are currently witnessing,” Hassan said after the talks.

“We agreed with the president that the rural towns are not the source of infections, but rather the major cities… That’s why in the coming period we have to carry out an evaluation with the security authorities and competent ministries to take the appropriate decision on how to fight the pandemic,” the minister added.

He noted that authorities should mull the success chances of any genera lockdown before imposing it in order not to “undermine the prestige of the state and the security agencies.”

Asked whether that means that the country will not be shut down next week as media reports have suggested, Hassan said: “We are in constant contact with the president and the premier and this issue is being discussed and has its legal conditions.”

“We hope the situation on the ground will become different so that we can back down from the general lockdown recommendation,” the minister added, noting that a general lockdown might eventually become a “necessary evil” should the situation continue to deteriorate.