Israel unmasks: Face-coverings no longer required in enclosed spaces

By admin On Jun 15, 2021

Unvaccinated guests, employees and those who have not had the coronavirus at assisted living facilities for the elderly, and at health institutions housing patients admitted for prolonged hospital stays, will still be required to wear masks. This is due to the high risk of those populations becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

In addition, detailed guidelines for health institutions will be distributed again by Health Ministry officials to specify exactly who needs to wear masks while coming into contact with patients and where they must do it.

Following the Health Ministry’s decision to abolish the requirement to wear masks in enclosed spaces, Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy appealed to the Knesset officer for the order to be lifted in the Knesset as well.The Bank of Israel announced on Tuesday that the Banking Supervision Department intends to return all branches of the banking system back to normal operation for public reception by June 30. This would mean that banks across Israel would return to providing all services that were available before the pandemic, such as in-person services, removing the need to set up advanced appointments, etc.

The ministry has been examining canceling the order to wear masks indoors since late May, providing morbidity rates continued to stay low following the new round of openings that took place at the beginning of June.Some 25 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Israel on Monday, with only 0.01% of tests returning positive, according to a Tuesday morning update by the Health Ministry.

Of all those infected, 29 were in serious condition, with 19 on ventilators. The death toll stands at 6,428.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
Supermarket shoppers and workers without masks in Tel Aviv. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Supermarket shoppers and workers without masks in Tel Aviv. (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Shoppers are unmasked at the Dizengoff Center. (photo credit: Avshalom Sassoni)Shoppers are unmasked at the Dizengoff Center. (photo credit: Avshalom Sassoni)
Shoppers are unmasked at the Dizengoff Center. (photo credit: Avshalom Sassoni)