As Israel’s government attempts to curb the soaring coronavirus infection rate in the country by mulling lockdowns and imposing more and more restrictions on public movement, many public officials have expressed opposition to lockdown measures, saying they are ineffective in the battle against COVID-19.

Chagai Levine, the head of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians and an epidemiologist at the Hadassah School of Public Health stated on Friday that a “lockdown on weekends lacks epidemiological logic,” adding that public health decisions must be based on epidemiological data and not on political considerations.

Levine specifically criticized the government’s decision to close beaches on weekends as the risk of contracting the coronavirus in open areas is much less than in closed spaces.

In light of the soaring rate of coronavirus infections in the country, Israel’s government was mulling imposing a national lockdown on weekends last week but instead decided to close all non-essential businesses and beaches on weekends. The government also banned gatherings of over 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, closed gyms, pools, and dance studios and restaurants except for delivery services.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)