Israel will eliminate the mandatory use of masks indoors after the success of its vaccination

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Israel continues to relax health restrictions against covid-19 following the success of its vaccination campaign: as of June 15, Israelis will no longer be required to wear masks indoors, as coronavirus infection rates remain casualties, said the health minister on Sunday.

Wearing chinstraps indoors is one of the only major coronavirus restrictions left in Israel. Other restrictions in everyday life had already been lifted. On Tuesday the presentation of the vaccination passport to go, for example, to a restaurant or a hotel was canceled, as well as the attendance limits for establishments open to the public. Capacity limits have also been eliminated in companies.

For the time being, schools will be excluded from easing the limitations, and children must still wear masks in lessons, as most of those under 16 have not yet been vaccinated. The country began this Sunday to immunize children between 12 and 15 years old. There are 600,000 minors in this age group and so far 10,000 appointments have been booked.

The Yuli Edelstein ministry said that if the downward trend in morbidity continues and the campaign to vaccinate minors is successful, there will be another discussion on the issue in the coming weeks.

Israel launched a large vaccination campaign in late December through an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer that provided millions of doses in exchange for data on the effects of vaccination from health system databases.

Of the 9.3 million people in Israel, more than five (55% of the population) have already received two doses of the vaccine.

The mass vaccination campaign reduced the number of new daily cases, according to a weekly average, from 8,600 at the peak of the health crisis to just four on Saturday.

Moreover, the country remains largely closed to travelers from abroad, the Tourism Ministry said, except for first-degree relatives, some experts, and vaccinated tourists participating in a pilot program.

All travelers arriving in the country are imposed a 14-day quarantine, which ends only after a serological test that proves vaccination or sufficient immunity.