“In order not to instigate more stringent restrictions, we need to get vaccinated, wear masks and keep distance,” he added. “It is in our hands.”
On Tuesday night, the cabinet took the first steps in the direction of stricter restrictions.
Starting August 8, the full green pass system will be put back in place (from August 20, also for children under 12 – who are currently exempt), masks will be mandatory at all outdoor gatherings and a vaccinated or recovered parent caring for a sick child in quarantine under the age of 12 will have to isolate as well.
In addition, only 50% of government office workers will work in the office, and the private sector will be encouraged to do the same.
The new criteria and the new list are expected to be published on Sunday and to come into effect in the following days.
The cabinet also appealed to the general public to become more careful in observing social distancing precautions, and to the elderly to avoid large gatherings and meeting unvaccinated people indoors.
On Tuesday, the 3,290 new cases represented 3.34% of the 99,000 tests processed. Both numbers marked a slight decrease compared to the previous day, when the country identified over 3,800 virus carriers and the positive rate stood at 3.8%.
On weekdays last week, Israel had some 2,100-2,200 new cases per day, with a 2.3-2.5% positive rate.
The number of serious patients as of Wednesday stood at 234, 51 of whom were on ventilators. On Tuesday there were 221 and 46.
In the meantime, Israel is continuing with the campaign to vaccinate people over 60 with a third shot. Some 206,000 people out of a population of almost 1.6 million had already received the booster.
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz also accompanied his parents to get vaccinated on Wednesday, as he urged all Israelis eligible for a shot to get one.
“I say clearly, our goal is to avoid a lockdown,” he said, stressing that if everyone show personal responsibility Israel can still avoid such a decision. “It is a dramatic move with dire consequences. This is not in the hands of fate. A lockdown is the last resort.”
Earlier in the day, Horowitz met with President Isaac Herzog together with the ministry’s director-general Nachman Ash, head of Public Health Services Prof. Sharon Alroy-Preis and new coronavirus commissioner Prof. Salman Zarka.
"Every Israeli contemplating the vaccination should not just think of protecting his family, but also protecting Israelis who cannot get vaccinated," Herzog said. "The Israeli solidarity will overcome this outbreak."
Also on Wednesday, Maccabi Health Services, one of Israel’s healthcare providers, released new data about the vaccine efficacy against the Delta variant for the cohort ages 12-15.
With some 35,000 such children vaccinated and at least one week after the second dose, the vaccine proved to be 95% effective against infection.
Also those who contracted the virus only show mild symptoms, if any.