Shas chief: General lockdown only way to curb infection rates, localized closures too hard to enforce

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri comes out against the planned lockdowns in cities with high rates of coronavirus infections and claims a nationwide closure is the only way to reduce the number of new COVID-19 cases per day.

“No one has succeeded in bringing down the numbers with another method,” Deri, who heads the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, tells Channel 12 news.

The localized lockdowns, which are set to begin Monday, are part of coronavirus czar Prof. Ronni Gamzu’s “traffic light” plan to differentiate between areas based upon their per capita infection rates. Many of the localities where the news restrictions will take effect are majority Arab and ultra-Orthodox areas.

“The plan isn’t the cure, it’s a tool for managing the crisis,” Deri says, asserting that a general lockdown is the only way to reduce infection rates.

The Shas chief says a nationwide lockdown will soon come into effect and that ministers will convene Thursday to decide on the matter. He also asserts that localized ones are more difficult to enforce than a general one.

He is also asked during the interview whether he backs Gamzu, who has faced heavy criticism from some ultra-Orthodox lawmakers and members of Prime Minister’s Netayanhu Likud party.

“I didn’t appoint him, the prime minister did. I give him backing all the time, I didn’t personally say a single bad thing about him. The Interior Ministry under my leadership is doing everything to help him… I pray he’ll succeed,” Deri says.