Coronavirus: CDC Expert in a Hazmat Suit
Coronavirus: CDC Expert in a Hazmat SuitiStock

Former Health Ministry Director-General Professor Gabi Barabash slammed the Coronavirus Cabinet's decision to open schools on September 1 in cities with high infection rates.

Previously, coronavirus czar Professor Ronni Gamzu had pushed to delay the beginning of the school year in "red" cities, but this was overruled by both the Coronavirus Cabinet and the Education Ministry.

"There is no normal country in the world which would dare to open the education system with an infection rate of 2,000 people a day," Prof. Barabash told Reshet Bet.

Slamming the leadership's lack of a backbone, he added, "The leadership is too attentive to what the public wants, instead of what it needs, and as a result there are decisions which make it difficult to manage the crisis."

Barabash, who earlier refused the position of coronavirus czar, said: "With my temperament, I would have resigned from the position three times already: Once over allowing the entry of 17,000 students from abroad, a second time over Uman, and a third time over opening schools in 'red' cities."