Outgoing coronavirus commissioner Professor Ronni Gamzu on Wednesday proposed using urban security camera grids to review the population's adherence to Health Ministry guidelines mandating wearing face masks outside.
The suggestion, made during a meeting of the so-called coronavirus cabinet, was initially disqualified by Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit, who, according to the Walla news website, argued, "We are not going to complicate the situation with a camera array or people informing on one another."
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Enforcement of the guidelines lies with the Israel Police that they are only ones "who have the authority to hand out fines," he said.
Gamzu then clarified that the purpose of using CCTV footage for conducting surveys and not for fines – to which Mendelblit replied that in that case, he would support the proposal.
Meanwhile, the so-called coronavirus cabinet approved on Wednesday the reopening of street shops next week. The move is expected to take effect on Sunday.
Finance Minister Israel Katz welcomed the decision, while Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Economy Minister Amir Peretz voted against it, saying it was premature given unstable morbidity rates.
Stores won't be allowed to open in "red" cities with high infection rates, according to the Walla news site, which also says shops will be barred from serving more than four customers at a time.
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Commenting on the move, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "We are allowing four customers at a time, no more. We also know that there is a certain increase in infection [rates], and that is why if we see that next weekend, ahead of the third big stage [of opening the economy], that there is an increase in infection, we will need to stop and possibly even tighten restrictions. At this stage, our decision is to open up stores, allowing four customers [at a time]. And I ask everyone to respect these guidelines."
On Thursday, the Health Ministry announced that out 39,767 tests for the virus carried out on Wednesday, 754, or 2% had come back positive. Israel currently has some 9,407 active cases. So far, 305,623 people have recovered from the virus. There are 576 people currently hospitalized with coronavirus, 357 of whom are in serious condition, and 157 are on ventilators.
A total of 2,638 people have died from the virus.
