Coronavirus in Israel: Health Min. considering disbanding school capsules

Under the new plan, capsules would be gradually disbanded. Infection rates will be closely monitored, and if they don't rise, additional capsules will cease.

Fifth grade students returned today to school at the Alomot elementary school in Efrat, where religious and secular students study together.  Children in middle school went back to school today following a few weeks of learning from home. February 21, 2021.  (photo credit: GERSHON ELINSON/FLASH90)
Fifth grade students returned today to school at the Alomot elementary school in Efrat, where religious and secular students study together. Children in middle school went back to school today following a few weeks of learning from home. February 21, 2021.
(photo credit: GERSHON ELINSON/FLASH90)
As coronavirus vaccination numbers continue to climb in Israel, the Health Ministry is working on a plan to return schools to their normal state and break down the capsules, N12 reported on Thursday. 
  
Under the new plan, capsules would be gradually disbanded. Infection rates will be closely monitored, and if they don't rise, additional capsules will cease. 
So far, capsules have already been disbanded among third graders. 
If it proves successful, the Health Ministry will allow more students in 11th-12th to return to their classrooms. 
Currently, a 90% vaccination rate is required to hold in-person classes for those grades, the report continued. 
N12 noted that the Health Ministry has estimated that it will do away with capsules for middle-schoolers last, after capsules in both elementary and high-schools are gone. 
The Health Ministry reported on Thursday that 489 people tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, out of nearly 38,000 tested, marking a 1.3% positivity rate.
There are currently 7,334 active patients, of whom 402 are considered serious. 
The death toll stood at 6,201, after 11 people died on Tuesday.
Some 5.24 million Israelis have received their first shot, of whom 87% are above the age of 50, and 4.78 million have received two shots.

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In addition, Moderna's coronavirus vaccine shipment – numbering at 180,000 – will arrive at Ben-Gurion Airport on Saturday afternoon, according to an exclusive report by N12.