The Health Ministry announced on Thursday that it is canceling the obligation to wear masks inside medical and geriatric institutions. On Thursday it was reported that 420 Israelis tested the previous day were positive for the coronavirus, some 4,868 have active cases, 57 are hospitalized in serious condition and 10 died of COVID-19 last week.
This ends most of the requirements involving the pandemic that began over three years ago.
The obligation of home isolation for those confirmed for COVID-19 will continue until May 15, as does the obligation to wear a mask on the way to an isolation location (relevant only for verified positive cases).
The ministry still does recommend that populations at risk wear masks in closed spaces for protection, including those aged 65 and over and those of any age with chronic diseases.
What is the current state of COVID-19 in Israel?
In the past week, 15 Israelis died while infected with COVID-19, bringing the toll since the start of the pandemic to 12,242. There were 91 serious cases on Tuesday and 323 infected people in hospitals.
The ministry stopped requiring the wearing of masks indoors last April, except for general, psychiatric and geriatric hospitals and institutions.
The number of people going in for COVID-19 booster shots has declined substantially. They remain available at health fund clinics, but the ministry has not yet decided whether it would offer annual shots to boost protection as the effects of previous shots wear off.