Israel Floats Possibility of Reinstating Harsh Coronavirus Restrictions

Israel does not yet appear to be out of the coronavirus woods, as concern is rising over the possibility of a second wave of infections. After a brief return to semi-normalcy, Israeli officials are warning of the potential reimplementation of restrictions due to an uptick in the incidence of cases. On Monday, thousands of students were forced into quarantine after teachers and children were diagnosed with COVID-19 at schools in Jerusalem, Beersheba and Hadera. According to Israeli media, youths at some 30 daycare facilities and schools across the country have tested positive for the virus following the resumption of studies after a two-month pause. The outgoing director-general of Israel’s Health Ministry on Sunday warned that the renewed outbreak in the education system was likely part of a broader trend, coming less than a week after restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs reopened. In response, the government announced plans to begin testing asymptomatic individuals and implored the public to respect social distancing guidelines. Overall, Israel has recorded more than 17,000 coronavirus cases and 285 deaths. Just under 15,000 people have recovered, while 30 are currently being sustained by ventilators.