(ETH) – Meanwhile, in Israel, The coronavirus cabinet approved new restrictions on Tuesday night, as senior government members admitted a lockdown in September is not a remote possibility anymore according to a new report from the Jerusalem Post.
Starting August 20, the full green pass system will be in place again. Starting Sunday, masks will be mandatory in all outdoor gatherings and a vaccinated/recovered parent caring for a child in quarantine under the age of 12 will be demanded to isolate as well. In addition, government offices will work with only 50% of their workforce in person, and the private sector will be encouraged to do the same.
Moreover, more stringent criteria to place countries under travel ban or travel warning will be formulated, leaving a very limited group of nations to be visited freely by Israelis without the need to quarantine upon their return regardless of their immunization status. The Times of Israel stated that 3,818 new cases were diagnosed on Monday, with 3.78% of tests returning positive.
The number of serious cases stood at 221, of whom 46 were on ventilators. Ministers were to discuss Health Ministry recommendations Tuesday to further restrict gatherings in an effort to contain the renewed COVID-19 outbreak, which has been blamed on the fast-spreading Delta variant. Government ministers were also expected to consider expanding the list of countries from which travelers — including the vaccinated and recovered — must enter seven days of quarantine upon their arrival to Israel.
The so-called Green Pass was reinstated by the government on Thursday, with entry to events of more than 100 people — both indoors and outdoors — allowed only to those who are vaccinated, recovered, or who present a negative COVID test. However, children under age 12 were largely exempt from the system. Ministers are now expected to drop this exemption for young children and apply the rules to gatherings of less than 100 people.