Israel Marks Another Step Toward Normalcy During Pandemic

Israelis on Sunday could breathe easy at long last, with government ordinances mandating mask wearing outdoors in public finally lifted after over a year, amid plummeting coronavirus infections and deaths. Israel has registered only a few dozen new cases daily for the past few weeks, with less than a half percent of all tests returning positive results. For over a month, schools and most businesses have been operating at almost full capacity, with sporting events and entertainment venues also accepting crowds in limited form. Just under five million citizens have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine shot administered in Israel for four months now, making about 60% of the entire population vaccinated against the virus.