Free Patriotic Movement Chief, MP Gebran Bassil, launched on Saturday a campaign to confront the coronavirus spread, in a word on the occasion March 14th commemoration, following an online meeting by the FPM National Council to approve its political paper and budget, while adhering to safety standards and preventive measures.

"Our role is to confront, not to watch, for we are not spectators, but people of action. Our duty is to contribute to drawing a road map for rescue, implementing it and putting our potentials into place," Bassil said.

He added: "The Lebanese are known for their toughness, for no matter what the difficulties, we managed to overcome them as a fortified, more healthy society but our responsibility this time is different.. Our responsibility for ourselves and others, our responsibility for everything that is around us and those who live with us at home and in our society and our homeland, is to protect ourselves and others. It is a collective and national responsibility par excellence!"

"Today we remain in our place, not only for our sake but also for the sake of others. We work in the Movement and contribute to the continuation of life, so that we can give the example that the student is able to stay home and study through e-learning...and the worker is sometimes able to stay in his safe place and work from afar...Yet there is a group of people who are forced, due to the nature of their work or their incentive to help others, to be in constant mobility and contact with patients and those infected with the virus, which is an example of courage and dedication, and hats off to them in respect, especially those working in the health sector, including doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and volunteers in the Lebanese Red Cross and others," Bassil went on.

He stressed that "infection and disease are not a disgrace. We are all exposed, including our family members. Hence, reporting symptoms and undergoing the necessary laboratory examination and self-quarantine when necessary, remain a duty towards our society and our country."

"We stand behind the state in managing this crisis, and we adhere to its guidelines and support any decision it takes because the epidemiological situation is worrisome, and we are on the verge of reaching an epidemic widespread, with the possibility of exceeding the medical capabilities to care for critical cases, so it seems that a general quarantine decision is inevitable, i.e. declaring a state of emergency, even if painful, to save the largest number of precious lives," Bassil underlined.

"Crises are a test for humanity, and we are people of confrontation, and not of fleeing or standing idle. This time, confrontation lies in prevention and protection in order to preserve Lebanon and fortify the immunity of our society. Today, we meet electronically to show solidarity with each other and with our society and our state. We meet to confront and resist the spread of the epidemic, and we are all confident that together, through our solidarity, we will defeat this epidemic and any other threat to Lebanon," Bassil concluded.