Defense Minister Benny Gantz told lawmakers in his Blue and White party on Sunday that he would demand strict restrictions for the upcoming Purim holiday to allow a continued reopening of the economy after weeks of lockdown.
Purim is usually marked by parties and revelry in both religious and secular Jewish communities. Last year’s Purim is believed to have been a major contributor to Israel’s first wave of infections.
Speaking to Radio 103 Sunday morning, coronavirus czar Nachman Ash also said that the Purim holiday, which begins on on the evening of February 25, was a cause for concern.
“The possibility of imposing a night curfew or closure on Purim exists, but I do not think we need to get into this situation,” he said.
With morbidity rates among high-risk groups dropping amid Israel’s rapid vaccination campaign, ministers are reportedly on track to reach a compromise deal at the coronavirus cabinet meeting Sunday to reopen shuttered Israeli commerce earlier than the planned February 23 target date.
The total number of cases since the pandemic started hit 723,038, including 60,976 active cases. They include 1,008 serious cases, of which 378 were in critical condition and 284 on ventilators.
The death toll reached 5,368.
