Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz have decided that the education system will continue to operate this week. As a result, summer camps and summer schools will remain open through Thursday.
The decision was made after a discussion with the participation of Education Minister Yoav Galant and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein. An additional situational assessment will be held later this week to determine whether the educational system will remain open next week.
Earlier, Coronavirus Committee Chairwoman MK Yifat Shasha-Biton (Likud) on Monday morning told the Committee that an agreement had been reached between herself and government representatives regarding changes to the coronavirus restrictions approved last week.
Under those restrictions, restaurants were permitted only to offer take-out and delivery.
MK Miki Zohar (Likud) requested that the Committee change the government order to allow restaurants to operate in open areas.
"There is an option to open restaurants in open areas, not closed ones, while adhering to the restrictions," Zohar said, noting that Knesset members and the government had agreed to allow swimming pools and beaches to remain open on the weekend, but that gyms would remain closed
Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch (Likud) told the Committee about the drop in infections on Sunday - both with regard to the number of confirmed patients, and with regard to the percentage of positive tests.
"There is a drop in the amount of confirmed patients," he said, noting that "5.5% of those tested yesterday turned up positive, instead of 7.7% two days ago and in recent days." However, he emphasized, "we cannot learn anything from a single day."
The Health Ministry reported that a total of 951 new cases of the virus were reported Sunday, down from 1,438 new confirmed cases on Saturday, despite the number of tests administered each day being nearly identical, with 18,219 tests administered on Saturday and 17,381 tests administered on Sunday.
The death toll has risen to 415
On Monday, a total of 259 people were listed in serious condition, down by seven from Sunday, when 266 people were in serious condition.
Over the past week, the number of patients listed in serious condition has risen steadily, from 191 last Tuesday to 266 on Sunday.
But the number of patients on ventilators continued to rise Monday, increasing from 72 Sunday to 75.