Back to Contents (Source: WFP “Assessing the Impact of the Economic and COVID-19 Crises in Lebanon”, June 2020, pp. 17-18) The New Humanitarian (formerly IRIN News) reported in April 2020 about the impacts of COVID-19 on the refugee population in Lebanon: “Assaf, a Syrian refugee, underwent treatment for breast cancer last year and is still prescribed medication for that diagnosis, as well as for chronic heart problems and diabetes. Until recently, a local NGO brought her the medication she needs to stay healthy. But on 15 March Lebanon instituted a nationwide night-time curfew, and various municipalities put in place their own restrictions on the movements of the country’s estimated 1.5 million refugees. Some have also limited the ability of aid workers to enter camps like the one Assaf lives in, even though these informal settlements have so far had no documented cases of COVID-19. As of 20 April, Lebanon had 677 confirmed cases of the virus, and 21 deaths. Aid groups say they are having a harder time getting non-coronavirus medical care to refugees, and clinics that serve Syrians say they have seen a drop-off in visitors. [...]Differing regulations While MSF and Amel are still reaching patients in more remote parts of Lebanon, some – mostly smaller – NGOs that previously provided mobile medical services told TNH they had been being blocked from entering the camps. This appears to be partly due to new restrictions on refugee movement, like extra curfews, rolled out, according to a recent Human Rights Watch count, by at least 21 municipalities. There are no hard and fast rules for when NGOs can enter the camps or when people can leave them, enforcement varies, and access often seems to depend on location and pre-existing relationships with local authorities.” (Source: The New Humanitarian, “How COVID-19 is limiting healthcare access for refugees in Lebanon”, 21 April 2020)42 (Lack of) access to anti-Covid19 vaccination 6.4. Was vaccination made available for stateless Palestinians in Lebanon? UNRWA stated in its 2021 Annual Operational Report that: “During the second half of 2021, COVID-19 infection rates continued to decline; however, cases started to increase again at the beginning of December. To mitigate the spread of the virus, the government introduced new preventive measures and imposed country-wide movement restrictions in the evenings for anyone who had not been vaccinated. To increase coverage, the MoPH secured vaccines for a nationwide “vaccination marathon” over several weekends, targeting all eligible persons aged 12 and over. By the end of the year, 38.9 percent of Lebanon’s 42 Publication date is outside of this reports reference period, however this excerpt was as it contained relevant information on curfew. 6. Access to health care 65