Israel mulls new COVID restrictions ahead of High Holy Days, school year

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The coronavirus cabinet is scheduled to meet Monday evening to consider new restrictions to halt the spread of the virus, including a plan proposed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to limit the number of worshippers at the Western Wall for selihot penitential prayers to no more than 8,000 people.

Prior to the pandemic, tens of thousands of people attended these prayers every night from before Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur. The selihot period according to Sephardi tradition began three weeks ago, while for Ashkenazim, it started last Saturday night – but the period reaches its pinnacle between Rosh Hashanah, which this year begins the evening of September 6, and Yom Kippur.

Bennett’s plan calls for selihot worshippers to be divided into pods and to wear masks, including outdoors. At their meeting, the ministers are also expected to extend so-called Green Pass regulations to all of the staff at health and educational institutions, as well as employees at any location where customers are subject to the Green Pass rules. The rules make admission to various public locations subject to presentation of proof of vaccination or recovery from the virus (and antibody testing for children too young to be vaccinated).

After holding a final consultation on the expected reopening of schools on September 1, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett approved the expansion of the so-called Green Pass rules, which allow entry into various venues to those with proof of vaccination or immunity, so that they will also apply all employees in health and education institutions, as well as employees anywhere required to operate in accordance with the rules. Like the selihot arrangement, this too is subject to approval by the coronavirus cabinet.

Additionally, the government decided to make expansive use of rapid antigen swab tests. Teachers who are unvaccinated will be required to get tested twice a week at rapid testing complexes across the country.

Bennett also decided that in “red” cities (which have high rates of infection), in grades 8 to 12, any class with a vaccination rate of less than 70 percent would have to study remotely (while a class with a higher vaccine rate can come to school). Finally, the government determined that from September 30, inoculation will be measured by having received two doses of the vaccine, and students who are learning remotely will be encouraged to get vaccinated in schools.

The Education Ministry estimated that roughly 150,000 students in 8th through 12th grade would be expected to study by distance learning in red communities based on the current plan.

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On Sunday, Israel recorded its highest percentage of positive coronavirus tests since February. According to Health Ministry data published Monday morning, 7.81 percent of tests taken Sunday came back positive. During the third wave of the pandemic, the average was 9 percent.

On Monday, the number of COVID deaths in Israel since the pandemic started last year reached 7,030. A total of 736 patients were reportedly in serious condition, with 211 in critical condition and 163 on ventilators. Israel also identified 6,621 new cases on Sunday.

Of patients in serious condition, 296 had not been vaccinated, 19 were vaccinated and 54 were partially vaccinated. (Since most of the country’s population has been vaccinated, this means that unvaccinated patients were shown to be markedly more likely to become seriously ill).