Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Tuesday that Israel is engaged in a “third wave of coronavirus infection” and has no choice but to enter another nationwide lockout.
“We have missed the train with a strict restriction and no escape from a lock,” he said on a visit to a supported accommodation facility which was rolling out the vaccination program to tenants.
Health Minister Yuli Edelstein
(Photo: Meir Ohayon)
“It will take between two and three months to get the vaccine [program] to accomplish it, “Edelstein continued.” We are in a state of emergency. We were wasting valuable time, and a state of disease means we have no choice but to go into lockdown. “
Earlier on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health’s chief executive said. Hezi Levi told Ynet that he thought the government would reconvene in the coming days to impose wider restrictions on it.
“Our reaction [to the rise in infections] should be the absolute constraints, “he said. I’m not sure partial restrictions will help anymore. We need to talk about a new lock. “
Israel is being vaccinated at a local clinic in central Israel
(Photo: AFP)
The Ministry of Health said Tuesday that 3,594 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in the past 24 hours, the highest number of such cases in months.
The ministry said 86,857 tests were carried out on Monday, setting the fall rate at 4.2%.
At least 472 patients were in poor condition, 119 of whom were on ventilators. Israel’s COVID-19 death toll was 3,111.
On Monday, the so-called Coronavirus Cabinet, which is leading the government’s response to the pandemic, approved a series of new restrictions in an effort to stop the spread of the pathogen.
Underground parking lot at Rambam Haifa Healthcare Campus turned into an intensive care unit
(Photo: Reuters)
Measures agreed by the government include mandatory isolation for Israelis coming abroad in state-run coronavirus hotels for 14 days, or 10 days if tested reversal through two coronavirus tests and both negative returns.
The rules come into effect on Wednesday at 10pm and will remain in place for at least 10 days.
Travelers from countries that did not require compulsory isolation before the cabinet decision will be exempt from the rule as long as they land in Israel before 26 December.