BEIRUT, March 26. /TASS/. Anti-coronavirus vaccination with Russia’s Sputnik V will begin in Lebanon on March 30, Russia’s Honorary Consul in Tripoli and chair of the Lebanese-Russian business council, Jacques Sarraf, told TASS on Friday.

"First vaccine shots will be administered to employees of the national air carrier, Middle East Airlines. This will happen on March 30, at a medical center of the Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. The vaccination of personnel will be free of charge," said Sarraf, who owns the Pharmaline pharmaceutical company.

The first batch of the Russian vaccine will be flown to Beirut from the United Arab Emirates the day before the vaccination begins. It will be used to vaccinate employees of private companies.

Registration of companies and organizations willing to vaccinate their staff began on Thursday. According to Sarraf, the vaccination will be carried out under the Lebanese Health Ministry’s control, in clinics and medical centers.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health approved the emergency use of the Russian vaccine on February 5. On February 26, it was announced that 20 private firms had been granted the right to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies manufacturing anti-coronavirus drugs. According to the ministry, 13 of them plan to sign contracts for the supply of the Russian-made Sputnik V, and seven more expect to purchase vaccines from Chinese corporation Sinopharm.