The "coronavirus cabinet" on Monday approved more stringent enforcement measures meant to rein in the spread of the deadly pathogen.
The fine for failing to wear a face mask in public was hiked from NIS 200 ($58) to NIS 500 ($145). Local authorities’ enforcement personnel throughout the country will be beefed up to enforce the order and more duties will be entrusted in their hands.
Moreover, the ministers greenlighted the establishment of a national enforcement directorate in the Ministry of Public Security that will oversee, instruct, and coordinate various enforcement bodies.
At the same time, the government will examine localities with high contagion rates of coronavirus and will decide whether to designate some or all of them as "restricted areas" according to set criteria. Increased testing and protection of at-risk populations, mainly the elderly, will continue.
The Civil Service Commission will review the possibility of limiting employees to work in “capsules” — limited, constant groups of workers at any given time to reduce exposure to multiple individuals.
Cabinet members also voted for the opening of schools during the summer vacation and private day camps.
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Passenger entering Rehovot Train Station during coronavirus outbreak
(Photo: Avi Moalem)
The cabinet has also instructed the healthcare system to brace for 2,000 coronavirus patients on ventilators and an additional 2,000 intubated patients due to other respiratory illnesses.
As fresh coronavirus cases keep emerging throughout the nation, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, in cooperation and coordination with senior health officials in the military, approved a set of new social distancing regulations for all members of the armed forces.
All service people must keep a safe distance of at least two meters (3.5 feet) from each other at all times. Discussions will take place in the presence of up to ten participants and conferences in closed spaces will be held with up to 50 participants and up to 100 in open spaces.
In addition, dining rooms will be restricted to 100 soldiers at the same time. Larger dining rooms will be allowed to host 250 soldiers at once.
Starting Sunday evening, all soldiers were forbidden from traveling on trains.