Israel reopens a large part of businesses in another step forward in its de-escalation

Israel today took a further step towards de-escalation with the reopening of most businesses and the introduction of a green certificate, allowing only vaccinated people or those who have recovered from COVID-19 to enter certain areas. 

Street shops that were still closed, open-air markets, shopping centres, libraries and museums can reopen to everyone under strict rules for the prevention of the virus. 

At the same time, pupils in the fifth and sixth grades of primary school and the last two years of secondary school can return to classrooms in areas with a low morbidity rate, after the youngest pupils in pre-school and the first years of primary school did so more than a week ago.  

Gymnasiums, swimming pools, hotels and venues for sporting or cultural events - such as theatres - are also allowed to open, but only citizens who have already received two doses of the vaccine or are over the coronavirus are allowed to enter. 

They can prove their status with a so-called green certificate, a six-month digital document that identifies their details with a QR Code. This can be obtained from a Ministry of Health application launched this week.  

The lifting of restrictions is part of the second phase of the de-escalation that Israel began on 7 February, following a third six-week nationwide confinement.  

The third phase is expected to begin on 7 March, when cafes and restaurants are expected to reopen, or students in courses that are currently being taught virtually will return to school. 

The gradual reopening of the country continues while Ben Gurion International Airport has been almost completely closed since the end of January to prevent the entry of mutations, and this week its closure was extended until 6 March.  

Israel is also making progress in its vaccination campaign, the fastest in the world: more than 45% of the population has received at least one dose of Pfizer's vaccine. In addition, almost 2.9 million people have already received their second dose. 

Moreover, the infection rate has been decreasing in recent weeks, and according to health data published on Saturday, mortality from COVID-19 fell by 98.9% among those who received the second dose of the vaccine after at least 14 days.  

The government aims to immunise the majority of the population by the end of March, when the country will hold general elections.  

Since the start of the pandemic, Israel, with a population of 9.2 million, has recorded almost 750,000 infections and 5,526 deaths.