JERUSALEM (ISRAEL) – Israel plans to reopen restaurants around March 9 as part of its journey to be back to normality as a COVID-19 vaccination campaign gains momentum, an official said on Sunday.
More than 41% of Israelis have received at least one shot of Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, Israel aims to reopen hotels and gyms on February 23, partially to those deemed fully vaccinated, or found with immunity after making a recovery from COVID-19.
Nachman Ash, the national pandemic-response coordinator, said it would be followed by the reopening of hotel dining rooms, restaurants and cafes two weeks later.
“That would be around March 9,” he told Ynet TV. “We want to open gradually, carefully so we don’t have another breakout of another wave, and another lockdown.”
Israel is on its way to fully vaccinate 30% of its 9 million population with the two-dose vaccine regimen this month. The authorities have set this as a benchmark for a preliminary relaxing of curbs. It hopes for 50% coverage and a wider reopening next month.
