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The cooperation is aimed at making vaccination more accessible for as many people as possible, without requiring them to schedule an appointment in advance. The vaccination stations will operate between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Ikea opened its stores in Netanya, Rishon Lezion, Kiryat Ata, Beersheba, and Eshtaol according to healthcare guidelines, Sunday. The furniture chain's restaurants and childcare centers, however, remain closed.

Meanwhile, the Maccabi healthcare provider is set to open vaccination stations at 21 BIG shopping centers across the country, in a move also aimed at offering shoppers a quick and convenient opportunity to get vaccinated without an appointment.

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CEO of IKEA Israel Shuki Koblenz and the chairman of the company's Israeli union have sent a joint letter to the company's local employees, saying that "Recently, we have been busy trying to study the new shopping habits and understand their effect on retail in general and us in particular.

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"The changes in retail consumption habits and the uncertainty that comes along with this time demand that we take initiatives and re-think some aspects of how we work, the hours and days we are open, and more."

Employees were informed that the company in Israel has noted two main changes in the public's shopping habits: "One, a focus on 'need-based' purchasing and less shopping, and the second, changes to the 'consumption hours' in various markets, which are being seen in a significant drop in shopping during the evening and at night."

Given these insights, IKEA Israel has announced a change in its hours, effective July 1. The stores will operate from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday through Wednesday; from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday; and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stores will be closed on Saturday evenings.

Koblenz said that the decision would affect both employees and managers of IKEA Israel and said that in recent weeks, the company union and its management had been holding "intensive consultations" to find solutions for every employee and bring more employees back to work. IKEA workers currently furloughed will have their unpaid leave extended until the end of August, he said.  

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Education Minister Rafi Peretz expressed dissatisfaction to the director general of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, saying that "IKEA should not be opened while schools remain closed," according to Israeli media. 

Meanwhile, the government was scheduled to meet on Thursday to ease some restrictions on the opening of certain businesses that have been damaged since the start of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Outrage across Israel government decision to let IKEA open but keep hundreds of small, independent stores and salons shuttered. @i24NEWS_EN pic.twitter.com/wix5XpbpOf

— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithi24) April 23, 2020

According to Channel 12, hairdressers, beauticians, ready-to-wear stores and some other stores may be next on the list to restart operations. 

This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

The post Israelis flock to IKEA after lockdown eased, but questions remain appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.