Israel to end indoor mandatory mask wearing next week

Mask wearing Photo: Shlomi Yosef
Mask wearing Photo: Shlomi Yosef

Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein says Israelis will no longer to need masks in public indoor spaces from June 15.

The instruction requiring Israelis to wear masks in closed spaces will be canceled on June 15, Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein has said. Speaking at an event to honor medical teama, Edelstein noted that Covid-19 had been fast fading out in Israel in recent weeks. Yesterday, for example, only four new cases of the virus were reported, and over the past week there have only been 111 new cases. Edelstein said, "The vaccinations have done their job in the field and after we have lifted almost all the restrictions on civilian life, now we will lift the requirement to wear masks, for as long as the infection rate remains low."

Edelstein added, "We have become the number one country in the world for vaccinations. At the peak of the infections, five months ago, there were more than 10,000 cases per day. Yesterday there were just four. At the peak of the virus there were 1,228 people hospitalized seriously ill with Covid. Today there are just 37. At the peak of the virus 10% of tests proved positive; now it is just around 0.1%. What is amazing is that these numbers have plunged while the economy is fully operating."

Israel has vaccinated 5.45 million people including 5.14 million people with two jabs - most of the country's adult population.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 6, 2021

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021

Mask wearing Photo: Shlomi Yosef
Mask wearing Photo: Shlomi Yosef
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