New Circular by MoL on Vaccinating Migrant Workers [here]

Caretaker minister of labor issued a circular addressing institutions employing migrant workers to include them for the vaccination drive targeting private institutions.

Report on Obstacles to Vaccinate Syrian Refugees [here]

An article by Lebanon 24 reported the obstacles in the way of vaccinating Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the risk of delaying herd immunity if no solution is found. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that its main task is to communicate with the refugee population to raise awareness on the vaccine against the spread of misinformation, as well as following up with registered individuals for their appointments.

The main obstacle cited was the locations of vaccination centers far from refugee camps in most cases, given the increased cost of transportation.

In addition, the following numbers were cited:

• Around 17,000 Syrian refugees registered for the vaccine

• 89% of Syrian refugees fall below the poverty line

• The monthly income of each Syrian refugee is estimated 300,000 LBP

• 865,331 Syrian refugees are registered with UNHCR, out of an estimated 1.5million refugees in total

Report on Exclusion of Undocumented Migrants from Vaccination Plan [here]

An article by Beirut Today reported the delay in vaccinating undocumented migrant workers due to their legal status and lack of valid papers.

A migrant domestic worker stated that some employers are deducting the price of the vaccine from the worker’s salary, in the case where the employer registers the worker as a plus one for the Sputnik vaccine to be given to private institutions.