Israel May Fully Reopen in a Month, Considers Ditching Mask Mandate

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel will fully reopen in a month if there is no spike in cases after schools return to normal, coronavirus czar Nachman Ash said Thursday.

“We want to see that the return to studies does not cause a rise in contagion,” Ash told Channel 13 news.

Government ministers voted Thursday to ease more restrictions on schools.

“We are talking about a few weeks only if the current rates are maintained,” he said. “We want to get past the [recently passed] Passover holidays and see that there are no infections in the actual schools.”

“If there is no rise in contagion, everything will be open in a month,” he said.

It is unclear if the reopening also includes Ben Gurion Airport. Israel is limiting international travel to keep virus mutations from entering and spreading throughout the country.

On Wednesday, government leaders removed some Memorial Day restrictions and approved increasing the number of people allowed to gather outdoors.

Israel may soon lift mask requirements too.

Israel’s Channel 12 News reported Tuesday that the Health Ministry has already approved the move and will lift the nation’s mask mandate on April 18.

Israel’s positive test rate is currently around 0.5% and morbidity is declining. Health experts attribute this to the millions of Israelis who have been vaccinated, as well as the Israelis who have been infected and recovered from the disease. More than 5.3 million Israelis have received at least one dose, and over 4.9 million have received both doses.