The Israeli government officials said Sunday that despite the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus and the rise in overall COVID cases throughout the country, a nationwide lockdown is not on the table, and neither are restrictions for the upcoming New Year's celebrations.
The officials added, however, that certain precautions will be taken to prevent mass infections and even a possible outbreak during the New Year festivities, including increased enforcement of the currently imposed restrictions - mainly the mask mandate and the Green Pass mandate - at mass events throughout the country.
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A police barricade during Israel's third COVID-induced nationwide closure
(Photo: Herzl Yosef)
The ministers are set to discuss possible curbs later on Sunday during a special cabinet meeting, which will take place at Kibbutz Mevo Hama in the Golan Heights, where thy are set to approve a NIS1 billion plan for the development of the area.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett last week said that a fifth COVID wave has begun following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
“We have dark weeks ahead of us with a dramatic increase in the number of verified. There is talk of 20-16 thousand verified [COVID patients] by mid-January,” said Bennett.
And while the prime minister has also reportedly instructed preparations be made for a possible nationwide lockdown, the consensus among the government is that such a measure is a last resort due to the inevitable damage it will inflict on the economy.
The government is also considering changing the self-isolation outline for those vaccinated against COVID, due to estimations that in the coming days and weeks hundreds of thousands of Israelis - including those considered immunized against the pathogen - will be forced into isolation due exposure to verified Omicron cases.
The government has announced it will also review the stringent Omicron-induced restrictions imposed on Ben Gurion Airport as well as on international travel - which has caused a significant drop in both outbound and inbound traffic to and from the country.
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A healthcare worker takes a swab sample from a traveler for a COVID-19 test at the Ben Gurion International Airport
(Photo: Reuters)
Health officials, meanwhile, have said that a fourth jab of the COVID vaccine is only a matter of time, but are currently recommending the shot only to those over the age of 60 and those with a compromised immune system.
At the same time, Israel is also pushing to promote its faltering pediatrics vaccination campaign, with Bennett even considering a monetary incentive for parents who will vaccinate their children against coronavirus.