Health Ministry: Night closure could reduce infection by only 5%

A night curfew alone will only be able to reduce the cases of coronavirus infection by about 5% because the restaurants and other places of entertainment are closed anyway, according to Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy.

In a weekend interview with Kan News, Levy said that while a night curfew has not yet been ruled out, such a move only makes sense if it is accompanied by additional measures.

Levy’s comments came soon after the government convened late Thursday night a meeting of top officials at the offices of the National Security Council to discuss the possibility of a night curfew – despite health experts like Levy saying it would be ineffective.

No agreement was reached; the idea is supposed to be discussed again this week.

The Justice Ministry has also explained that there may be legal difficulties in enforcing a night curfew.

Prof. Ronni Gamzu – who just resigned from his role as coronavirus commissioner – and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein joined Levy in his skepticism about night curfews. 

So did MK Yifat Shasha-Biton, head of the Knesset Coronavirus Committee, who said that “it makes no sense. If the government wants to prevent weddings or other gatherings, it should focus on courageously enforcing against these events in all sectors. There should not be collective punishment because part of the public is breaking the law.”

Professor Gabi Barbash, a former Health Ministry director-general, told The Jerusalem Post: “If the government sends everyone into their houses and weddings continue because they cannot enforce against them, [a night closure] will be a waste of time.”On Saturday, the ministry reported a rise in morbidity. Some 748 people were diagnosed with the novel virus on Friday – 2.1% of those screened. Some 294 people were in serious condition, including 130 who were intubated. The death toll stood at 2,720.The reproduction rate (R) rose to one on Friday, an average of the rates in the general society (0.94), ultra-Orthodox community (0.92) and Arab sector (1.07) – meaning that on average, each infected person is infecting one other.

Levy added in his interview with Kan News that he was concerned about the increase in the reproduction rate and that Israel should be careful not to open up irresponsibly.