Likud official accuses Shasha-Biton of succumbing to the gym-lobby

Hebrew media outlets cite a “senior Likud official” who claims that Coronavirus Committee chairwoman Yifat Shasha-Biton “succumbed to pressure from lobbyists who represented the gyms.”

“All health ministry experts warned that gyms present a real danger of infection because the virus can also be transferred through sweat with masks not providing sufficient defense,” the source says without citing proof.

Yesterday, health officials admitted to Shasha-Biton’s panel that there had only been 35 documented cases that were believed to have been contracted at gyms, leading the lawmakers to decry the government decision to shutter them along with pools. The Health Ministry failed to provide any data to justify the shuttering of pools as well.

“In such a situation, it is not possible accept [Shasha-Biton’s behavior], and therefore she will be removed from her post for a while,” the official says.