Intelligence Services Ministry says the highly controversial measure will be mostly suspended in January and will be "applied regarding coronavirus carriers who do not cooperate with the epidemiological investigation and in the event of a significant rise in morbidity."
Health Ministry reports that nearly 3,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus over the past day. Military says will begin vaccinating soldiers by month's end, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi to be vaccinated first.
Professor Nachman Ash tells Israel Hayom that Israelis will be wearing masks until May 2021, and that getting vaccinations will allow them to skip the mandatory self-isolation for travelers returning from abroad.
Deputy Health Minister Kisch says "clear trend" in infections means Israel won't be able to avoid further restrictions. As government plans to begin vaccinating people on Dec. 20, Haifa University poll finds less than 30% of men and 15% of women plan to be inoculated in the early stages of the campaign.
"We hope this was a one-time anomaly," a senior Health Ministry official says, warning that with the impact of the COVID vaccines to only be seen in two to three months' time, "We mustn't become complacent."
Likud MK David Bitan receiving respiratory support, a week after testing positive for coronavirus.
Positivity rate stands at 3.4% as 1,707 additional carriers diagnosed with virus. Israel currently has 17,691 confirmed active cases. There are 353 people in serious condition, 100 of whom are on ventilators.
Innovation described as "tremendous breakthrough is nothing less than a game changer" because it allows to monitor several patients simultaneously.
"The increase is troubling in light of the stabilizing trend the sector has shown in recent weeks," one ministry official says.
Israel Hayom poll finds over one-third of Israelis, 37%, to refuse to receive coronavirus vaccine. Just 35% of Arab Christians and Arab Muslims, 26% of Haredim say they plan to get vaccinated. Older Israelis, secular Jews most likely to get the vaccine.
