The Government Approved the Ministry of Health New Restrictions In Addition to the Ones in Force

Following yesterday's Government Resolution (Tuesday) regarding full lockdown effective tomorrow (Thursday) at midnight, the Government has approved the Ministry of Health restrictions by a vote over the phone, in addition to restrictions already in effect.

The new restrictions and regulations will take effect tomorrow, 8.1.2021 at midnight, for a duration of 14 days, until 21.1.2021, as specified below:

Activity Restrictions

Limiting the exceptions to the restriction on leaving the place of residence:

1. Gatherings are limited to up to 5 people indoors and up to 10 people outdoors (excluding wedding, bris, and funeral ceremonies, which will remain according to the current outline – up to 10 people indoors and up to 20 people outdoors). 
2. The permit to leave Israel by air travel is limited to those who purchased flight tickets once the restrictions took effect, except for the purposes detailed in the restrictions or by approved by the Ministry of Transportation's Director General.
3. Professional sports activities are limited, and therefore training facilities cannot be opened for holding premier league matches in the ball sports but for practice purposes only.
4. The permit to leave the residence for activities related to alleviating older adult citizens' loneliness (which is not considered essential social treatment) is at this moment revoked.     

Education

1. Ban on opening educational establishment for both learners and employees, except for special education and the exceptions stipulated in article 10(C) of the Law.
2. Boarding school activities will only be permitted for programs that remain closed for at least 30 days and without the possibility to readmit into the boarding school a pupil who left the premises.

Employment

1. Employees will not be allowed to enter the workplace, except for exempted workplaces, including workplaces that provide essential services, facilities that provide existential services, and workplaces related to the construction or infrastructure industries.
2. Any employer may allow an employee to stay inside the workplace if his or her presence is required for maintaining the premises or for continuing essential workplace functionality, including repairing disrepairs, guarding the premises, delivering, paying wages, and so on. Additionally, specific provisions were made regarding facilities with a special permit for employing employees during resting hours, military industries and auxiliary industries, government ministries, local authorities, religious councils, and higher learning establishments.  
3. The list of essential workplaces stipulated by the restrictions was expanded to include lawyers, in cases where they are required to represent clients before courts or other establishments, to prepare for said representation or to provide essential services to their clients, that cannot be postponed and cannot be offered by alternative digital means, as well as employees who are required to assist the Knesset's Central Elections Committee or the Knesset's Regional Elections Committee for purposes of holding the pending elections.
4. Employers who meet the various criteria and will be cleared to continue operating will be required to continue following the Purple Badge requirements.

The list of exempted employment areas will be published on the Ministry of Finance website.

Transportation

Limiting public transportation capacity to 50% (clarification: This means that capacity within the buses will be limited to up to 50% capacity).

Primary Elections

1. An exception to the restriction on leaving the place of residence is stipulated for allowing individuals to leave the house for voting in the primary elections, as well as for allowing candidates or employees and service providers on the party or the candidate's behalf to leave their place of residence for preparing for the elections to the Knesset, including for the primary elections.
2. Polling places will be cleared for an opening for purposes of holding preliminary elections.   
3. Any person entering the polling place will not be asked about any symptoms that do not require isolation in order to not prevent any person from voting due to these symptoms. Furthermore, an adjustment will be made to the currently existing guidance in the Home Isolation Order in order to allow a person with a body temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher to present negative coronavirus test results. Additionally, the questioning duty will not apply to a task-specific polling place for people under isolation duty, in as much as such a polling place will be designated.  

Reminder of restrictions already in effect extended for the next 14 days

1. Restrictions on leaving the place of residence beyond a 1,000 meter limit, save for such exceptions as Getting vaccinated, receiving medical or social treatment, attending a demonstration or a legal procedure, going out for a sporting activity (excluding the use of a vehicle for arriving in the starting point), transferring a minor between separated parents, attending a workplace or an educational program cleared for operating or attending funeral, wedding or bris ceremonies (subject to the gathering restrictions). Violators will be subject to a 500 NIS fine. 
2. It is forbidden to leave the place of residence in order to stay in another person's place of residence.
3. All public and commercial establishments will remain closed except for essential stores such as Pharmacies and stores selling food products, hygienic products and optics, appliances, and essential maintenance products. 
4. The following will remain closed: All guest units and zimmers, zoos, safaris, nature reserves, national parks, national sites and monuments, parlors offering non-medical treatments, including hair salons and beauty and cosmetics salons, parlors offering alternative medicine, movie drive-ins, malls, retail markets, and museums. Food establishments will not be allowed to offer pick-up (take-away) services.
5. Practical driving lessons will not be permitted, and organizing a tour or attending an organized tour is forbidden.
6. Take-away services are forbidden; delivery services are permitted.