Ministers approved on Friday the regulations of Israel's third general coronavirus lockdown which is set to come into effect at 5pm Sunday.
The regulations set restrictions on staying in public spaces, restrictions on traffic and restrictions on commercial, recreational and leisure activities, all carrying NIS 500 ($150) fines.
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Policeman stops driver at checkpoint near Hadera during coronavirus lockdown
(Photo: AP)
The two-week closure may be extended by another two weeks if the daily number of infections does not drop under a thousand cases and the pathogen's reproduction number [R number - the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average] drops under one.
Much like the previous lockdown that ended in mid-October, the public will be restricted from venturing more than one kilometer (0.6 miles) from home and visiting other households; trade and entertainment venues will be shuttered; restaurants will only be able to operate food deliveries; non-public facing businesses will be restricted to operate at 50% capacity; public transportation will operate at 50% capacity and social gatherings will be restricted to 20 people in open spaces and 10 people indoors.
Nature reserves will also be closed and training will only be allowed for professional athletes. Israelis will be allowed to leave for Ben Gurion Airport up to eight hours before the flight departures.
Unlike the previous two lockdowns, the education systems will remain partially open. Grades 1-4 and 11-12, alongside kindergartens, will operate in-person classes from 8am to 1pm while the special education system will continue working as usual. Parents will be able to drop their children at school and pick them up between 7am and 2pm.
Separated parents sharing custody will be able to transfer their children freely.
Health Ministry Director-General Prof. Hezi Levy delivered a briefing Thursday evening ahead of the pandemic-induced lockdown and warned of a slippery slope if drastic measures are not taken.
"We know how difficult this is, but If we won't impose the lockdown we could reach 9,000 confirmed cases a day before the middle of January, and reach 800 seriously ill patients. Now is the time to stop this, prevent this slippery slope,” Levy said.
"We are currently in the midst of a surge in infections, with about 4,000 new patients per day and over 5% positivity rate."
“The reproduction number also indicates a rise in infections, as it stands at 1.26, while in some sectors, this number reaches up to 1.7, There is an increase [in infections] among the ultra-Orthodox sector, but the rise in the number of infections also occurred among the general population during Hanukkah."