Nearly one month after the Israeli government imposed a second COVID-19-related nationwide lockdown, the number of daily infections continues to drop from a previous peak of over 9,000. The Health Ministry on Thursday morning reported 1,994 new cases in the previous 24 hours, while the positive test rate appears to have been cut by more than half from a high of 15% last month.
While the government’s coronavirus cabinet nevertheless agreed this week to extend the shutdown until at least Sunday, it appears that Israeli authorities are on course to begin easing restrictions.
Prof. Ronit Calderon-Margalit will discuss the latest developments, including what plans could be implemented in order to safely start reopening the economy.
Calderon-Margalit is a professor of epidemiology and a public health expert at the School of Public Health at the Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center. She is also a member of Israel’s so-called civil coronavirus cabinet.
