Israel will begin its second nationwide lockdown this week, becoming the first developed country to do so.
The lockdown, which is set to go into effect on Friday, was announced on Sunday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a Cabinet meeting. The lockdown was already expected after cabinet ministers gave preliminary approval on Sept. 10.
As part of the shutdown, restaurants will be closed except for delivery. Schools, entertainment venues, and some other businesses will also close, according to CNN. Pharmacies and grocery stores will be allowed to remain open, as will emergency services. Outdoor gatherings will be capped at 20 people, and indoor gatherings will be limited to 10 people. Businesses in the private sector can continue to operate only if they do not allow nonemployees into the work area.
The lockdown will last at least three weeks and comes as Israel has tallied record cases of COVID-19 in recent days. The country lifted its first lockdown in May after counting some 17,000 cases. Since then, the number of confirmed coronavirus infections has ballooned to nearly 160,000, with at least 1,136 deaths.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that the country’s coronavirus czar had raised “a red flag regarding the ability of the health system to handle the challenges that are upon us and the need to take the necessary steps as a result.”
Israel’s Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said there was no other way to mitigate the levels of positive cases without some form of lockdown.
“There is now no escape from a closure,” he said. “We brought a proposal [for closure]. I truly will not be happy when it is approved. This is a very difficult day for the country, but it’s a proposal with no other alternative.”
