Students and professors of the Lebanese American University (LAU) who headed to Rizk Hospital to obtain the Pfizer vaccine were overjoyed. Such a vaccination campaign followed the university’s successful contribution efforts, which resulted in financial aid for the purchase of eighty thousand vaccines. Students and instructors were required to attend their lectures through online technology for a year and a half, during which time they suffered terribly, but now that the vaccine has been obtained, returning to college has become unavoidable.

“It’s been two challenging years,” one of the students told Ghida Jbeily, reporter of Sawt Beirut International. “We can’t get to know classmates through online education.” “We thank God that we are back to our ordinary lives,” stated another, while a female student conveyed her frustration with distance learning by declaring, “I took the vaccine! We slipped into sadness because of the slow internet connection,” a third student stressed.

Sheikh Bahaa El-Din Rafic Hariri was one of the campaign’s first funders, donating one million dollars, under one condition, to put vaccines at the disposal of all Lebanese citizens, regardless of their religion or sect. “It’s wonderful to keep up with the vaccination of all ages, starting from the age of 90 and now reaching students,” a nurse remarked, “such a step represents how the Lebanese enjoy the spirit of life, and we’re delighted that we’ve reached these ages.”

The vaccine campaign’s major goal is to help Lebanon achieve social immunity as fast as possible, especially before the winter season begins. The university will launch the Mobile Clinic to visit additional areas in Lebanon in order to raise community awareness and provide the immunization to as many Lebanese as feasible.