Coronavirus Cabinet
Coronavirus CabinetChaim Tzach/GPO

Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu said at the opening of the Coronavirus Cabinet meeting Thursday evening that there is a great effort underway to avoid imposing a lockdown so as not to harm the Israeli economy.

''We will hear the review from the national project manager for the fight against the coronavirus, Prof. Gamzu. We will hear his various recommendations. There is a great effort to avoid a lockdown to continue in the direction of the rehabilitation of the economy, and I think this will be related, surely, to the state of the disease. We will hear Prof. Gamzu's recommendations. Everyone is waiting for this with great interest," Netanyahu said.

According to a Kan News report, the plan Prof. Gamzu will present tonight is a contingency plan not intended for immediate implementation. If in about a month's time, the morbidity rate remains similar to what it is at the present moment or the country's hospitals reach their booking limit, however, a series of measures closing down the economy, education system, and restricting traffic on the High Holidays will be implemented.

Health safety measures would include closing down local malls, markets, restaurants, shows as well as cultural and tourism events. The nation's schools—including special ed., early childhood education, and grades 1-3 would be shut down. Places of employment receiving guests would close, emergency measures would be announced in the public sector, individuals would be allowed to venture within 500 meters of their places of residence over the High Holidays, and gatherings would be limited to the nuclear family.

Travel restriction of 500 meters from one's place of residence will apply in localities defined as "red cities." According to existing morbidity data these are: Beitar Illit, Bnei Brak, Jaljulia, Deir al-Assad, Eilabun, Rahat, Kfar Qassem, Kfar Bara, Kuseife, Modi'in Illit, Tira, Nazareth, Beit Jahn, Ilut, Emanuel, Kiryat Ye'arim, Reina, and Sha'av.

In addition, National Coronavirus Commissioner Prof. Gamzu will require that the coronavirus cabinet order the Airports Authority to cancel flights to Uman for Rosh Hashanah celebrations.