Lockdown Partially Lifted in Israel After Virus Slows

Israelis on Friday entered the weekend in a state of confusion and uncertainty, after the government announced it would lift some – but not all – of the restrictions imposed on the nation as part of the total lockdown implemented last month for the second time because of the spread of coronavirus. While the cabinet authorized the education ministry to reopen kindergartens and pre-schools on October 18, parents and teachers are complaining that the guidelines regarding mask-wearing, classroom sizes and quarantine timelines remain muddled. Local school authorities threatened not to open on Sunday if the rules were not made clear in time. Israel registered another positive day on Thursday, as the numbers of infections, serious cases and deaths continued their week-long decline. A total of 2130 people have died from the virus so far, with just under 750 currently in serious condition.