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Ronni Gamzu
A staff member at Haifa's Bnai Zion Medical Center during the 2020 coronavirus. (courtesy, Micha Brikman)
Analysis
A week into lockdown exit, plunging infection rates tempered by mounting worries
By Nathan Jeffay
With some restrictions rolled back and more relaxing of rules on the way, virus stats are encouraging, but deaths are still accumulating and the social fabric has ruptured
A staff member at Haifa's Bnai Zion Medical Center during the 2020 coronavirus. (courtesy, Micha Brikman)
October 26, 2020, 10:44 am
A week into lockdown exit, plunging infection rates tempered by mounting worries
With some restrictions rolled back and more relaxing of rules on the way, virus stats are encouraging, but deaths are still accumulating and the social fabric has ruptured
By Nathan Jeffay
Israelis perform tests for the coronavirus at a Maccabi Test Center, in Ramle. October 5, 2020. (Yossi Aloni/FLASH90)
October 26, 2020, 9:27 am
As Israel moves to reopen some schools, infections fall along with testing rate
Fewer than 1,000 cases recorded over weekend; virus czar urges Israelis to get tested even upon ‘slightest suspicion,’ warning that 50,000 daily tests are needed to keep reopening
By TOI staff
First grade students arrive, on their first day of school, at the Tali Geulim school in Jerusalem, on September 1, 2020. (Noam Revkin)
October 25, 2020, 10:41 pm
Ministers vote to send kids in grades 1-4 back to school next week
Proposal, which won’t be implemented if virus cases spike, will see 1st-2nd graders learn only half a week, while 3rd-4th graders will resume full-time classes in pods
By TOI staff
Parents accompany their children to the kindergarten in Tel Aviv as they return to kindergarten on October18, 2020, after being shut down during a national lockdown to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
October 25, 2020, 5:26 pm
Ministers extend virus rules by week; mull reopening schools, commerce
PM says state can’t afford to split 1st, 2nd graders into ‘pods’; coronavirus cabinet also set to weigh higher fines for violators, special rules for Dead Sea, Eilat tourism
By TOI staff
An empty classroom at a school in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hakerem on October 21, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
October 21, 2020, 10:19 pm
Coronavirus cabinet pushes off decision on reopening schools, shops
Netanyahu calls to shorten multi-stage plan for lifting national lockdown, but health officials said to warn of risks in doing so
By TOI staff
People walk in the almost empty market in Rehovot, on October 19, 2020 (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
October 21, 2020, 3:56 pm
Ministers warned against hasty virus reopening as cabinet debates schools, shops
Netanyahu says new restrictions if infection rates rise; health officials want students in small groups from 1st grade upwards; Katz asks for small businesses to open from Sunday
By TOI staff
People wearing face masks shop at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem as Israel rolls back coronavirus restrictions on October 20, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
October 21, 2020, 12:46 pm
Virus outbreak continues to abate, but experts warn of potential new surge
Health Ministry figures show 1,165 confirmed cases in 24 hours, with 3% positive rate; officials advise against complacency, say data points to infections rising over coming week
By TOI staff
The city center of Jerusalem, October 20, 2020. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
October 20, 2020, 11:31 pm
As country opens up, officials said to predict spike in new infections
TV report claims Netanyahu agreed to quietly to avoid any tough actions on Haredi health violations; cops said to resist handing out massive fines to institutions opening illegally
By TOI staff
Police guard at a temporary checkpoint in the entrance to the neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo in Jerusalem, in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, on October 18, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 20, 2020, 5:05 pm
Government eases virus lockdown in all but one Israeli locale as infections drop
Virus czar says will consider shortening exit from closure; only Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo neighborhood remains under tightened restrictions; health minister moves to increase fines
By TOI staff
Ultra-Orthodox kids make their way back home from a Talmud Torah in Jerusalem, October 18, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 19, 2020, 8:09 pm
Virus czar seeks to ease restrictions in some ultra-Orthodox areas
Ronni Gamzu wants to lift lockdown rules in Beitar Illit, Modiin Illit, Rechasim to match rest of country, as infection rates there improve
By TOI staff
Coronavirus czar Ronni Gamzu at a meeting of the Knesset's Labor and Welfare Committee, in Jerusalem, October 19, 2020. (Shmulik Grossman/Knesset)
October 19, 2020, 3:07 pm
As new cases fall, Gamzu pleads to hold off on reopening schools
Coronavirus czar also tells Knesset committee that Israel will soon shorten quarantine period from 14 to 12 days, says hospitals staying strong: ‘We’ll never be Italy’
By TOI staff
Illustrative: Ultra-Orthodox Jews walk in Jerusalem on October 19, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 19, 2020, 12:27 pm
As Haredi schools rebellion goes on, health minister admits enforcement is weak
Edelstein vows to do what he can to crack down on ultra–Orthodox schools continuing to open illegally; Bnei Brak deputy mayor says city will not comply with rules
By TOI staff
Israelis wear protective face masks in Tel Aviv, on October 18, 2020. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
October 19, 2020, 10:15 am
Active virus cases dip below 30,000 as new infections fall off sharply
Just 892 new cases confirmed Sunday with positivity rate of 3.5%, with morbidity at lowest rate since late June
By TOI staff
Ronni Gamzu at a meeting with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion at the Jerusalem City Hall, August 12, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/ Flash90)
October 18, 2020, 10:58 pm
Report: 3 advisers to virus czar threaten to quit over opening of Haredi schools
Ronni Gamzu said to make great efforts to persuade experts to stay, while warning that illegal opening of Torah institutions could serve a crushing blow to public trust
By TOI staff
Chairman of the Degel haTorah party Moshe Gafni, at the opening event of their election campaign, ahead of the Israeli elections, in Jerusalem, on February 12, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 18, 2020, 9:44 pm
Threatened with fines, top Haredi MK insists community won’t shut down schools
Moshe Gafni says he made issue ‘clear’ to Netanyahu during conversation; health minister warns schools breaching lockdown may be fined, lose licenses
By TOI staff
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