COVID: Cap on gatherings to increase as restrictions continue to be lifted
The cap on gatherings is going to be increased to 500 people outdoors and 50 indoors, and restrictions on structures which operate under the green light outline are going to be abolished.
By ROSSELLA TERCATIN, TOBIAS SIEGALIsrael's coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash seen during a visit at the Jerusalem Municipality on November 22, 2020.(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH 90)
Restrictions on structures which operate under the green light outline are going to be abolished – including the prohibition on serving food - and the cap on gatherings is going to be increased to 500 people outdoors and 50 indoors, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced on Sunday, as active cases in the country plummeted to 1,800 compared to dozens of thousands at the peak of the pandemic.The new regulations are going to become effective on Thursday, May 6, provided that the data about the coronavirus in Israel continue to be positive.“Thanks to vaccines, morbidity in Israel has reached an unprecedented (low) level since the beginning of the pandemic and this while the vast majority of the economy is open,” Edelstein commented. “In such a situation, the relief for the public can be further expanded.”“Our main concern is the possibility of new variants entering the country through Ben-Gurion Airport, so we will not lift restrictions regarding the airport at this stage,” he added.According to the new guidelines, tourist attractions and swimming pools will start to operate under the purple ribbon standard – based on social distancing - and not only the green pass standard, allowing people who are not vaccinated or recovered to access. Venues which operate under the purple ribbon standard will be able to accommodate a customer every 7 square meters. The 75% occupancy rate on public transportation will also be abolished. In addition, those who are not vaccinated or recovered – including children – will be able to get a temporary green pass through a PCR test.Vaccines can be considered Israel’s “health Iron Dome,” the coronavirus commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash said in a press briefing on Sunday. Despite very encouraging data, he warned that mass infections are still possible, and invited the public to remain careful and observe the rules.“If you travel – be careful. Wear masks,” he said. “Be sure to air closed spaces and keep your distance from one another.”The commissioner also called on Israelis to avoid unnecessary gatherings during the upcoming holiday of Lag Ba’omer, which falls on Thursday.Ash also said that the ministry will soon announce the extension of the green passport certificate, which at the moment is only valid for six months.Earlier in the day, Ash said Israel was considering sending medical aid to India, “following the steep rise in morbidity rates in the country,” Hebrew media reported.A senior Israeli delegation last traveled to India in July to provide the country with new technology to treat and diagnose patients more effectively. Now, a massive surge in morbidity rates in India has caused concern around the world.Last week, the ministry issued a travel warning regarding India and another seven countries.On Saturday, only 38 Israelis were diagnosed with coronavirus - the lowest number of new infections since May 2020 – even though the number of tests was also dramatically lower than on weekdays, some 8,500 compared to 35,000 to 50,000 on weekdays.
