Health Ministry Director-General Prof. Hezi Levi said on Monday the ministry might recommend to the government to ban Israeli public from meeting their elderly relatives due the continued resurgence of coronavirus in the country.
The remarks came ahead of the meeting by the coronavirus cabinet, which is set to discuss whether to reimpose some of the restrictions on movement to combat the rapid spread of COVID-19.
In an interview with Ynet, the director general said the high rate of infection puts the elderly population in the country at greater risk and would lead to more serious cases and even deaths.
“If we see further increase in infection, a ban on encounters with grandparents is on the table,” he said. "We will allow visits among adults with face masks and social distancing rules."
He said the ministry officials, who are set to attend the cabinet meeting, will demand for public events and social gatherings to be significantly restricted.
"We have to increase the enforcement," he said. "We will ask [the government] to prevent gatherings as much as possible. Limit public events to 50 people - I understand the consequences of that but do we want another closure?
He also said the ministry will demand for students at summer schools to study in groups. Every class would be divided into two groups and each group would spend a week at school and a week a home.
Prof. Levi added at this stage the ministry is not planning to recommend putting any restrictions on the public transport, including trains, as long as the health orders are observed.