Lebanon Starts Its COVID-19 Vaccination Drive, PM Says Will Wait His Turn

Lebanon Starts Its COVID-19 Vaccination Drive, PM Says Will Wait His Turn

Salah Tizani, 92, known as Abou Salim and one of Lebanon?s first TV celebrities, receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a coronavirus vaccination campaign at Rafik Hariri University Hospital, in Beirut, Lebanon February 14, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon started its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Sunday by inoculating the head of critical care at its biggest public hospital, followed by 93-year-old celebrated Lebanese actor and comedian Salah Tizani.

Battling a sharp spike in infections in recent weeks which has overwhelmed its healthcare system, Lebanon took delivery of 28,500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Saturday, the first batch of 2.1 million doses set to arrive in stages throughout the year.

Delays in signing a deal to purchase a vaccine and the rollout of an inoculation program have caused frustration in Lebanon. The World Bank, which helped fund the first batch of doses, has said it would monitor the inoculation drive to ensure the shots go to those most in need.

"I will not be receiving the vaccine today, for today is not my turn and the priority is for the medical sector that has done its duty and presented big sacrifices,“ caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab told reporters