A senior Health Ministry official said Sunday there is "a long way to go" before the government takes further steps to ease the nationwide lockdown.
Earlier in the day, Israel saw its street shops reopen for the first time in two months after the government voted to further ease the coronavirus lockdown curbs last week.
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Health Ministry's Head of Public Health Services Sharon Alroy-Preis
(Photo: Motti Kimchi )
Speaking during a press conference, Health Ministry's Head of Public Health Services Sharon Alroy-Preis said since the easing of the lockdown restrictions two weeks ago, the infection rate has increased with its coefficient now standing at 1.
"To get to the next step of reopening, we need to get the number of verified daily infections to below 500. Right now, in order to be careful, we need to stop [further easing of restrictions]."
She said the reopening of street shops falls on the period when the infection is on rise and will only see the full effect of the move in weeks' time.
"Street shops reopened today, and I call on the people of Israel to be really careful. We can't have police and inspectors everywhere, so pay attention, the restrictions allow up to four people in each store."