BEIRUT: Cinemas and theaters will reopen in Lebanon for the first time in nearly 14 months among other social spaces as the country moves out of confinement following a significant decline in the spread of the coronavirus.

The national committee for COVID-19 met Thursday and decided on allowing cinemas and theaters in Lebanon to operate at 50 percent capacity until 11 p.m., the first time such institutions can reopen since the health pandemic caused their closure in March 2020.

In addition, weddings, conferences and exhibitions will be able to take place allowing a maximum of 100 people, providing the space does not exceed 50 percent capacity.

At present only restaurants with outdoor seating are able to open until 12:30 p.m., but the new rules will also enable indoor restaurants to open until 11 p.m. but with bookings at half the room's capacity.

Rooftop restaurants can also open until 12:30 a.m.

There was no decision yet from the committee on the reopening of nightclubs, which have suffered from repeated closures and only a brief reopening period over the December and New Year holiday.

Lebanons coronavirus numbers have dropped in recent weeks to well under a 1,000 daily cases, after an alarming outbreak at the start of the year that forced the country into a strict lockdown for around 7 weeks when cases exceeded 3,000 a day.

However, the risk of a new wave remains particularly in light of COVID-19 mutations arriving from countries such as Brazil and India where the virus has had a devastating impact recently.

The committee announced that incoming travelers from Brazil must undergo a PCR test less than 96 hours before arriving in Beirut, undertake a PCR test on arrival and then quarantine for five days in a hotel accredited by the Health Ministry where a third test also has to be taken.

Passengers from India are currently banned from traveling to Lebanon unless they have spent at least 14 days in a third country prior to entry to Lebanon.

Copyright 2021, The Daily Star. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

Disclaimer: The content of this article is syndicated or provided to this website from an external third party provider. We are not responsible for, and do not control, such external websites, entities, applications or media publishers. The body of the text is provided on an as is and as available basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither we nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this article. Read our full disclaimer policy here.