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Sarah El BulbeisiSimultaneously with most European countries, the Lebanese Government has eased the measures initiated to curb the dangers of pandemic spread recently. The reopening of the Beirut airport yesterday July 1 heralds in a sense the post-COVID-19 era. Nevertheless, unlike many other societies, people here didn't delve into a wave of euphoria about a return to “normal” life after lockdown, but faced a rather fluid transition from a well-mastered pandemic to a devastating economic crisis. Amidst the ongoing challenges in Lebanon and the surrounding area, the OIB wants to contribute not only with the slow reopening of its premises, but also with a restart of its blog now called OIB_upclose.&#160; “Upclose” refers to our aspiration to combine scientific depth of focus with keeping a close track of current developments and be part of the everyday effort to overcome the crisis.&#160; We are back on track and keep you in the loop. Visit us regularly! &#160; Your OIB team