In Lebanon, lockdown is the last line of defence against a tsunami of unmanageable coronavirus cases

When I showed medics in Lebanon footage of people in London breaking coronavirus regulations to picnic in parks last weekend, they were horrified and confused.

Here, under Lebanon’s lockdown, exercise outside is not permitted. Residents are allowed to go to supermarkets for essential supplies – in many places, your temperature is taken twice to allow you access.

All the land, sea and air borders are closed. There is a curfew at night.

The strict regulations, which are punishing an already battered economy and pushing more people under the poverty line, were rolled out early. Lebanon has only 600 confirmed coronavirus cases and 20 Covid-19-related deaths but since there has been no sudden surge yet, the restrictions appear to be working.

In fact, doctors, nurses, health officials and even the health minister himself said the lockdown is the main – if not only – line of defence the country has against a potentially catastrophic outbreak of the coronavirus.

And so, videos of Brits violating regulations to sunbathe in a park, where the doctors told me transmission could easily happen even if people sit 6ft apart, to them was insanity – particularly, they said, given the death toll in the UK was soaring and even the prime minister at that point was in intensive care.

They questioned why people would risk others’ lives, including those of health workers.

Lebanon, ravaged by an almost unprecedented financial crisis, cannot afford to make a mistake as it cannot scale up its response to the disease. It cannot build Nightingale hospitals and import thousands of respirators.

Hamad Hassan, the health minister, told me the country has 1,250 ventilators across the country for all illnesses and just 700 ICU beds prepped for coronavirus patients.

While they are attempting to manufacture their own ventilators, they do not have the accessible funds to massively increase their response, which is why home quarantine is really the only way to prevent a catastrophic number of deaths.

In a visit to Rafik Hariri University Hospital, the country’s main coronavirus hospital this week – the director, sitting in front of donated personal protective equipment (PPE) kits from the UN, told me they were living donation to donation. Even the Lebanese government (which economists say is near broke) owes the hospital millions of dollars in dues for last year. They have paid nothing for 2020.

Lebanon is home to a huge population of refugees – the largest per capita in the world – which is piling on the pressure.

It is near impossible to practice social distancing or any self-isolation in the camps, where many live in rudimentary tent-like structures.

Syrian and Palestinian refugees have sent me videos saying as part of the strict curfews, which are even tighter in the camps, they were already rationing food. Neighbours with savings were helping those with not.

A lockdown is a luxury they cannot even implement properly, let alone afford.

But they are trying. Just one case of coronavirus would spark hundreds by the afternoon, the head of ICU at Rafik Hariri said.

The UN’s relevant agencies said they have set up a coronavirus hotline for refugees and vowed to pay for treatment but UNRWA​, the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, is in the grips of the worst funding crisis in its history.

The Lebanese health ministry complained that the UN has not properly rolled their protection plans.

It feels like the country is holding its breath.

No one knows the true impact of the economy essentially shutting down in the middle of a severe crisis.

The doctors and health officials know many cannot hold on for much longer.

But for them, it’s the only hope they have.