Israel Enters 3rd COVID-19 Lockdown

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2020 (TPS) -- Israel entered a countrywide lockdown on Sunday night, the country’s third nationwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) closure in 10 months.

Some 380 roadblocks were deployed on main routes throughout the country after 5 PM, causing heavy congestion at many locations.

The two-week lockdown, which can be extended for another two weeks, will end when the basic reproduction number (R) falls below 1 and the number of new cases per day falls below 1,000.

All commerce and recreation are completely closed except for deliveries, and public transportation will be reduced to 50%.

The education system is partially closed. Special education is running as usual.

Israel’s Operation “Lend a Shoulder” to inoculate the population against COVID-19 will continue iמ full force.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday before the closure commenced, Israel’s Corona czar Prof. Nachman Ash said that the closure “is not easy and not simple, but it is the responsible step and what it takes to save lives.”

“Citizens must adhere to the guidelines, and together we can gain control of the virus and progress toward a better horizon thanks to vaccines,” he stated.

The Ministry of Health updated Monday morning that it recorded 3,498 new cases in the past 24 hours.

Of the 72,763 tests done Sunday, a climbing 4.9% returned positive.

According to the Ministry of Health’s data, 590 patients are hospitalized in serious condition, of whom 144 are on life support.

3, 226 Israelis have died of the virus since the outbreak in February.