Nachman Ash, who is coordinating the government’s coronavirus response, says any person who received their second and final vaccine dose will be exempt from quarantine starting a week after getting their second shot.
In a press briefing, Ash adds that more restrictions will be eased for vaccinees and they will be announced once a so-called green passport starts being handed out in the coming days. He says eligible citizens will be able to get the document via an online system that is currently undergoing final tests.
Ash repeats comments he made this morning saying he will likely recommend extending the current lockdown restrictions beyond the January 21 deadline, citing still-rising infections but holding out hope that the trend is starting to reverse.
“Over the past days we can see immense strain on the health care system,” Ash says. “There are about 1,200 serious patients, COVID-19 wards are 85% full, and hospitals are scaling back non-urgent procedures. The strain is expected to continue for several more days until we see a drop in infections.”
“We are following the numbers of confirmed patients and are cautiously hoping that the slowdown trend from the weekend will continue. The direction is encouraging,” he says. But he adds: “The chance that we will recommend extending the lockdown is high.”
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, January 17, 2021
