Authorities are rushing to get children vaccinated and are looking at tighter travel restrictions for the country’s main airport.
Thursday’s report by the Health Ministry showed that there were 307 new cases reported on Wednesday. This is the highest number in almost three months, and an increase from the 293 cases reported a day before. According to the health ministry, these numbers will rise in the coming days. This raises concerns about Israel’s regressive approach to crises.
Israel has been reopening schools, businesses and venues for events in recent months. This is despite having inoculated approximately 85% of its adult population. It is now considered an early warning system for other countries.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced Tuesday that he will inoculate thousands more children each month by mid-month.
Despite being alarming, there is still little change in deaths due to the virus. The ministry has only recorded one death in the last two weeks. Israel’s population of 9.3million has received the required two-dose vaccinations. 5.1 million Israelis have been given this dose. Another 400,000 people have received at most one dose.
Israel saw its highest level of children’s vaccinations this week. The country has also reinstituted a rule that requires people to wear masks indoors. Bennett appointed for the first-time a coronavirus commissar to oversee arrivals at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. He called it “a huge national vulnerability”.
Ayelet Shaked, Interior Minister, stated Wednesday that officials are ready to close the airport if this trend continues.
Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported today that officials are looking at bringing back the Green Pass system, which differentiates between non-vaccinated and vaccinated citizens when it comes to accessing certain venues and activities.
Last week, Israel’s government delayed the planned reopening to tourists for vaccinations because of concerns about the spread and spread of the variant.
After being closed to most of the population during the pandemic, Israel initially planned to reopen its borders on Thursday to vaccinated tourists. Already in May, it had opened its borders to vaccinated tourists.
After a spike in infections over the last 10 days, however, the government moved that date up to Aug. 1.
