Israel, a Vaccination Leader, Lifts Indoor Mask Mandate

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Israel, a leading country in vaccine administration, will lift the last remaining quarantine measure, the indoor mask-wearing mandate, next week.

Yuli Edelstein, Israel's Minister of Health, said on the 6th (local time), "We have decided to lift the indoor mask-wearing mandate starting from the 15th."

The Israeli government made this decision as the low infection rate continues to be maintained.

Minister Edelstein stated, "Five months ago, when the infection rate was at its peak, the daily new confirmed cases exceeded 10,000, but yesterday there were only 4. The number of severe patients also surged to 1,288 at the peak of infections, but now there are only 37."

He added, "It is surprising that such results have come about while all economic activities have resumed," and praised, "We did it."

However, Israel decided to maintain indoor mask-wearing in schools since children and adolescents under 16 have not yet been vaccinated.

The Israeli government plans to lift the indoor mask mandate in schools if the vaccination of children and adolescents aged 12 to 15, which began today, is successfully carried out as COVID-19 infection indicators continue to improve.

Along with the indoor mask mandate, entry and exit controls to block the inflow of variant viruses will also be maintained.

Israel rapidly advanced its vaccination campaign, reducing the daily new confirmed cases, which once exceeded 10,000 in mid-January, to the recent range of 10 to 20 cases.

The ratio of confirmed cases to total tests is around 0.1%. On the previous day, when the number of tests decreased compared to weekdays, only 4 new confirmed cases among incoming travelers were reported without any local infection cases for the first time since the pandemic began.