Ministry of Health Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov explained on Tuesday evening the conditions which will have to be met in order for the coronavirus restrictions on the public to be eased.
Speaking in an interview on Channel 12 News, Bar Siman Tov explained that as soon as the number of cases of coronavirus increases by dozens per day and not by hundreds per day, the restrictions will be eased. He also noted that studies in the educational institutions will resume immediately after Passover - but in a special format.
"After Passover, we want to start permitting more activity in the economy," he said. "We hope to see a decrease in the number of new cases – to see dozens of new cases a day and not hundreds of new cases a day. Then we will have the leeway to take actions that have a dimension of risk. We will increase the proportion of workers in the economy from 15 percent to 30 percent."
The return to routine will be gradual, he said, and would begin with the industrial and economic sectors under certain conditions. It would be followed by a return to routine in the fields of technology and startups, and then in public services.
Meanwhile, a significant drop in traffic was recorded on Israel’s roads after the Passover lockdown went into effect on Tuesday evening. 45 checkpoints were set up on Tuesday evening at central intersections and entrances to cities and communities.
The police officers ask every driver what the purpose of his trip is and prevent anyone who is a non-essential worker or a resident of the city from entering. On Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., a curfew will go into effect and remain in effect until Thursday morning. Hundreds of police vehicles will be on hand to enforce the curfew.
Public transportation was discontinued on Tuesday evening and will resume operations on Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. In addition, food deliveries from supermarkets can continue until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Jerusalem has been divided into seven boroughs and passage between those boroughs will be restricted.