The Israeli government voted Wednesday night to impose a full, "hermetic" nationwide lockdown in an effort to curb the coronavirus outbreak that has been racing across Israel over the past few weeks.
The move, imposed a mere six days after a tempered shutdown took effect, came after lawmakers and health officials concluded that as the public was not adhering to health directories, a partial lockdown was insufficient.
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Some 6,948 Israelis were diagnosed with the virus on Wednesday – 11.7% of the 61,165 people screened.
The number brought Israel tally of corona cases to 203,136 cases since the start of the pandemic in March.
The Health Ministry said 658 patients were in serious condition, including 177 on ventilators. Thirty-two coronavirus patients died over the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1,317.
Lockdown measures are expected to begin Friday and run through Oct. 10. They are also expected to be more severe than those imposed during Israel's first closure, in March.
The Finance Ministry's chief economist said Wednesday that a massive suspension of economic activity through mid-October would likely cost Israel some NIS 35 billion (over $10 billion).
In a video statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the lockdown would continue for at least another two weeks and said he hoped Health Ministry data would support easing some restrictions soon.
"The situation is dire. We're seeing a steep increase in morbidity," he said. "We need to make hard decisions. As prime minister, I'm obligated to protect your lives, and everyone must understand that this is a life-threatening situation."
Israel won widespread praise for moving quickly to contain the coronavirus outbreak early this year, sealing its borders and imposing a strict lockdown. But the economy was reopened too quickly and the virus resurged with a vengeance.
Policy makers have been criticized for a series of confusing and contradictory orders in recent months and the looming lockdown amounts to an admission of failure by the government.
The lockdown is expected to be more stringent and it will include shuttering synagogues, reducing the number of participants in protests, shutting down all nonessential businesses, curbing public transportation, and limiting family visits.
Protesters are expected to be allowed to demonstrate and worshipers to pray in groups of up to 20 people within one kilometer of their homes.
Synagogues are expected to open only on Yom Kippur for small groups of worshipers – a measure devised as a compromise with the ultra-Orthodox parties to ensure their support in the cabinet vote.
The Ben-Gurion International Airport is also expected to close to outgoing flights.
According to Channel 12 News, the "hermetic" lockdown will see almost the entire economy shuttered except for supermarkets, pharmacies, and essential industries.
Channel 13 News reported that the while coronavirus commissioner Professor Ronni Gamzu has been pushing for stricter measures, he opposed a full lockdown, warning of the devastating effect the move would have on the economy.
Gamzu reportedly told lawmakers that while in terms of reducing morbidity a full lockdown would be "highly effective," it would "destroy the economy" which is already grappling with a recession triggered by the first shutdown.
Gamzu is said to have instead recommended a "smart closure" that would also take into account the damage to the economy.
Meanwhile, a study by the Weizmann Institute of Science suggested that virus rates would not be sufficiently reduced under a lockdown before November.
According to Channel 12 News, the projection – based on infection trends in the first lockdown in March-May – suggests it would take some two weeks to halve the number of daily cases, and several additional weeks to drive down rates enough to relieve restrictions.
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