Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz are going to ask the coronavirus cabinet to approve bringing back the green pass system for all gatherings with over 100 participants, Horowitz announced on Monday as he held a meeting with Economy Minister Orna Barbivay, and Culture and Sport Minister Chili Tropper.
Until the end of May, a green pass was granted to all individuals who were fully vaccinated, recovered or holders of a negative coronavirus test performed in the previous 72 hours. Access to several venues and activities – including indoor restaurants, gyms and performances – was limited to green pass holders.
The Health Ministry had already recommended re-adopting the system for large gatherings last week, but the cabinet did not approve it. Starting from Wednesday, a new “Happy Badge” system will come into effect for indoor weddings and similar events, requiring a vaccination/recovery certificate or a negative test in order to attend them. However, in light of the spike in cases, Bennett and Horowitz agree with the assessment by health experts that this move is not going to be enough.
Horowitz stressed that, at the moment, there is no intention of capping the number of people who can attend an event. In the upcoming days, the relevant ministers will meet with representatives of the industries to which the green pass is expected to apply.
At the beginning of the government’s meeting on Monday, Bennett spoke about the COVID outbreak.
“I want to say it here clearly: the government decisions are not recommendations, they are binding: Whoever breaks them will pay,” he said, reminding the public that wearing a mask indoors, observing quarantine rules and respecting Happy Badge regulations is compulsory.
Bennett vowed that the government is working on a plan to lead Israel through the crisis in the upcoming weeks up until the beginning of the school year, and that there will not be decisions made and implemented at the last minute.
Some 829 new cases were registered on Sunday, with about 50,000 tests processed. On Friday over 1,100 new virus carriers were identified, but with a much higher number of tests – some 75,000.
Meanwhile, serious morbidity is also increasing, but in a limited way. As of Monday morning, there were 66 patients in serious conditions, three more than 24 hours earlier.
While around 60% of such patients have been fully vaccinated, a report by Channel 12 on Sunday showed that the vast majority of them were people over 60.