COVID-19 pandemic in Israel

This article describes an ongoing pandemic. The information may therefore change rapidly.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Israel is a regional subset of the global outbreak of the respiratory disease COVID-19. The cause of the COVID-19 pandemic is the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

COVID was first diagnosed in Israel in an Israeli woman who had taken a cruise on the Diamond Princess. COVID had broken out there.

In mid-March 2020, a first COVID wave began in Israel; it was weaker and over more quickly than in many other countries. The government of the day, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, announced a state of emergency, social-distancing measures, and entry restrictions on March 19. Beginning April 26, these were gradually eased. On July 6, a day with 1,385 registered new infections, the government imposed new distance regulations. The number of new infections remained relatively stable in July and August.

In September 2020, after the end of the summer vacations, the number of new infections rose sharply, including at schools and universities. Disproportionately affected were and are regions where many ultra-Orthodox or Arab Israelis live. At the time, Israel was the most severely affected country in the Western world (based on its population of nine million). In October 2020, the second wave declined sharply. From early December to mid-January 2021, the number of new infections and deaths rose again; since then, a rapid vaccination campaign using the Biontech vaccine has been effective. Israel is documenting the vaccination campaign extensively, which is in its own interest, in the interest of Biontech, and also of global interest. The documented data have been and are being compiled into statistics, providing valuable epidemiological insights. Netanyahu pushed the vaccination campaign (apparently to improve his and his Likud party's chances in the March 23, 2021 general election).

On February 21, 2021, gyms, hotels, theaters, and sporting events, among other places, were opened to COVID vaccinated and COVID recovered persons. They identify themselves as eligible with a Green Pass. Shopping malls, museums, libraries, and houses of worship were also opened to non-vaccinated or non-recovered persons.

From April 24 to June 19, 2021, only under 100 new infections per day were recorded. In mid-June 2021, Israel almost completely lifted the mask requirement indoors - a week later, it reintroduced it. The reason for this is that the Indian variant of the COVID virus (Delta) is spreading worldwide. It was probably introduced into Israel at Ben Gurion Airport. There, all entrants should actually have to take a COVID test - but some were let through untested when the testing station was overloaded. Israel's government now recommends that 12-15 year olds also be vaccinated against Corona. Tourists will not be allowed into Israel (contrary to temporary plans) even in July 2021. Tourism is an important economic factor for Israel.

· 1 Vaccination campaign

· 2 Statistics

o 2.1 Infections

o 2.2 Deaths

· 3 Course

· 4 Measures

· 5 Religion

· 6 See also

· 7 Web links

· 8 Itemizations

Vaccination campaign

The Israeli government (Netanyahu Cabinet V) ordered 2020 COVID vaccines from several manufacturers:

8 million doses of tozinameran at Pfizer/Biontech
10 million doses of AZD1222 at AstraZeneca
6 million doses of mRNA-1273 at Moderna.

The first Tozinameran shipment arrived in Israel on December 9, 2020. Vaccinations began on December 19, 2020. The first Moderna shipment arrived in Israel on January 7, 2021.

By January 19, 2021, 2.2 million Israelis, nearly a quarter of the population, had already been vaccinated, and more than 400,000 of them had already had it twice. On the other hand, up to 10,000 people continued to be infected with COVID every day, including many ultra-Orthodox Jews, in whose circles Corona requirements are often violated. Their willingness to be vaccinated, as well as that of Arab Israelis, is lower than that of the rest of the population.

As agreed, Israel provided and continues to provide Biontech/Pfizer with statistical data on the impact of the vaccination campaign on the course of the pandemic, on virus spread and on social life. Israel paid considerably more for the vaccine doses than the EU. Biontech vaccine from German and Belgian production is being vaccinated (as of February 14, 2021).

According to preliminary figures from the Maccabi public health insurance company, of 523,000 insured persons who had already been vaccinated twice with the Biontech vaccine, only 544 became infected with COVID. Of those, 15 were hospitalized; only four courses were severe. None of those vaccinated died. During the same period, 18,425 of 628,000 unvaccinated Maccabi policyholders (comparison group) became infected; this calculates to a vaccine efficacy of 93%.

Magen David Adom ambulance in Tel Aviv

Statistics

Case numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel developed as follows, according to WHO data:

February 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
20.02.	0	0	0	0
21.02.	1	1	0	0
22.02.	1	0	0	0
23.02.	1	0	0	0
24.02.	1	0	0	0
25.02.	1	0	0	0
26.02.	2	1	0	0
27.02.	2	0	0	0
28.02.	2	0	0	0
29.02.	3	1	0	0

March 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.03.	6	3	0	0
02.03.	6	0	0	0
03.03.	7	1	0	0
04.03.	12	5	0	0
05.03.	15	3	0	0
06.03.	15	0	0	0
07.03.	17	2	0	0
08.03.	21	4	0	0
09.03.	25	4	0	0
10.03.	34	9	0	0
11.03.	38	4	0	0
12.03.	71	33	0	0
13.03.	90	19	0	0
14.03.	112	22	0	0
15.03.	147	35	0	0
16.03.	176	29	0	0
17.03.	215	39	0	0
18.03.	288	73	1	1
19.03.	382	94	1	0
20.03.	500	118	1	0
21.03.	636	136	1	0
22.03.	804	168	1	0
23.03.	1.014	210	1	0
24.03.	1.268	254	1	0
25.03.	1.620	352	1	0
26.03.	2.323	703	5	4
27.03.	2.748	425	6	1
28.03.	3.268	520	11	5
29.03.	3.701	433	13	2
30.03.	4.181	480	14	1
31.03.	4.713	532	17	3

April 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.04.	5.260	547	18	1
02.04.	5.998	738	22	4
03.04.	6.694	696	30	8
04.04.	7.413	719	39	9
05.04.	8.010	597	44	5
06.04.	8.438	428	50	6
07.04.	9.021	583	57	7
08.04.	9.472	451	65	8
09.04.	9.849	377	73	8
10.04.	10.187	338	81	8
11.04.	10.530	343	90	9
12.04.	10.889	359	98	8
13.04.	11.234	345	104	6
14.04.	11.786	552	110	6
15.04.	12.224	438	119	9
16.04.	12.623	399	127	8
17.04.	12.934	311	140	13
18.04.	13.230	296	147	7
19.04.	13.528	298	156	9
20.04.	13.819	291	167	11
21.04.	14.095	276	175	8
22.04.	14.394	299	181	6
23.04.	14.676	282	190	9
24.04.	14.901	225	193	3
25.04.	15.177	276	197	4
26.04.	15.425	248	200	3
27.04.	15.584	159	203	3
28.04.	15.667	83	205	2
29.04.	15.795	128	209	4
30.04.	15.954	159	214	5

May 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.05.	16.036	82	220	6
02.05.	16.178	142	226	6
03.05.	16.294	116	230	4
04.05.	16.351	57	233	3
05.05.	16.378	27	236	3
06.05.	16.431	53	239	3
07.05.	16.463	32	241	2
08.05.	16.528	65	242	1
09.05.	16.589	61	243	1
10.05.	16.622	33	249	6
11.05.	16.641	19	252	3
12.05.	16.670	29	256	4
13.05.	16.709	39	261	5
14.05.	16.732	23	264	3
15.05.	16.771	39	267	3
16.05.	16.793	22	269	2
17.05.	16.805	12	269	0
18.05.	16.810	5	272	3
19.05.	16.825	15	276	4
20.05.	16.852	27	279	3
21.05.	16.874	22	281	2
22.05.	16.889	15	282	1
23.05.	16.906	17	282	0
24.05.	16.925	19	282	0
25.05.	16.930	5	282	0
26.05.	16.943	13	283	1
27.05.	16.965	22	285	2
28.05.	17.015	50	285	0
29.05.	17.055	40	287	2
30.05.	17.132	77	288	1
31.05.	17.245	113	288	0

June 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.06.	17.274	29	288	0
02.06.	17.361	87	288	0
03.06.	17.461	100	291	3
04.06.	17.582	121	293	2
05.06.	17.679	97	294	1
06.06.	17.821	142	294	0
07.06.	17.948	127	295	1
08.06.	18.026	78	299	4
09.06.	18.166	140	301	2
10.06.	18.345	179	301	0
11.06.	18.518	173	302	1
12.06.	18.758	240	303	1
13.06.	18.949	191	303	0
14.06.	19.133	184	303	0
15.06.	19.282	149	304	1
16.06.	19.418	136	306	2
17.06.	19.616	198	306	0
18.06.	19.916	300	307	1
19.06.	20.187	271	307	0
20.06.	20.489	302	307	0
21.06.	20.799	310	308	1
22.06.	20.959	160	309	1
23.06.	21.132	173	309	0
24.06.	21.477	345	310	1
25.06.	21.929	452	312	2
26.06.	22.416	487	315	3
27.06.	22.932	516	319	4
28.06.	23.396	464	322	3
29.06.	23.794	398	325	3
30.06.	24.179	385	327	2

July 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.07.	24.936	757	327	0
02.07.	25.722	786	328	1
03.07.	26.694	972	331	3
04.07.	27.842	1.148	332	1
05.07.	28.781	939	335	3
06.07.	29.602	821	340	5
07.07.	30.433	831	342	2
08.07.	31.567	1.134	350	8
09.07.	32.957	1.390	355	5
10.07.	34.284	1.327	360	5
11.07.	35.809	1.525	365	5
12.07.	37.218	1.409	369	4
13.07.	38.386	1.168	374	5
14.07.	39.625	1.239	381	7
15.07.	41.345	1.720	385	4
16.07.	42.948	1.603	392	7
17.07.	44.825	1.877	398	6
18.07.	46.762	1.937	407	9
19.07.	48.367	1.605	419	12
20.07.	49.815	1.448	427	8
21.07.	50.831	1.016	437	10
22.07.	52.718	1.887	449	12
23.07.	54.724	2.006	458	9
24.07.	56.768	2.044	464	6
25.07.	58.757	1.989	480	16
26.07.	60.587	1.830	488	8
27.07.	61.699	1.112	495	7
28.07.	62.741	1.042	506	11
29.07.	64.789	2.048	513	7
30.07.	66.914	2.125	521	8
31.07.	68.868	1.954	536	15

August 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.08.	70.655	1.787	551	15
02.08.	72.017	1.362	565	14
03.08.	72.642	625	579	14
04.08.	73.350	708	590	11
05.08.	75.150	1.800	605	15
06.08.	76.879	1.729	616	11
07.08.	78.569	1.690	626	10
08.08.	80.246	1.677	635	9
09.08.	82.010	1.764	647	12
10.08.	82.764	754	660	13
11.08.	83.688	924	667	7
12.08.	85.392	1.704	682	15
13.08.	87.215	1.823	693	11
14.08.	88.837	1.622	708	15
15.08.	90.480	1.643	724	16
16.08.	91.868	1.388	736	12
17.08.	92.625	757	746	10
18.08.	93.693	1.068	765	19
19.08.	95.343	1.650	769	4
20.08.	96.992	1.649	783	14
21.08.	98.632	1.640	795	12
22.08.	100.119	1.487	807	12
23.08.	101.612	1.493	820	13
24.08.	102.323	711	830	10
25.08.	103.288	965	843	13
26.08.	105.188	1.900	859	16
27.08.	107.144	1.956	878	19
28.08.	109.097	1.953	889	11
29.08.	111.168	2.071	900	11
30.08.	113.000	1.832	912	12
31.08.	113.910	910	917	5

September 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.09.	115.011	1.101	931	14
02.09.	117.189	2.178	954	23
03.09.	119.442	2.253	969	15
04.09.	122.635	3.193	983	14
05.09.	125.296	2.661	999	16
06.09.	127.919	2.623	1.011	12
07.09.	129.424	1.505	1.026	15
08.09.	131.601	2.177	1.038	12
09.09.	134.989	3.388	1.055	17
10.09.	138.478	3.489	1.075	20
11.09.	142.472	3.994	1.091	16
12.09.	146.633	4.161	1.105	14
13.09.	150.608	3.975	1.125	20
14.09.	153.326	2.718	1.140	15
15.09.	156.501	3.175	1.157	17
16.09.	161.306	4.805	1.177	20
17.09.	166.846	5.540	1.193	16
18.09.	171.420	4.574	1.219	26
19.09.	176.805	5.385	1.236	17
20.09.	182.145	5.340	1.256	20
21.09.	185.954	3.809	1.283	27
22.09.	188.533	2.579	1.304	21
23.09.	192.399	3.866	1.336	32
24.09.	199.419	7.020	1.362	26
25.09.	206.544	7.125	1.387	25
26.09.	214.778	8.234	1.418	31
27.09.	223.167	8.389	1.448	30
28.09.	229.049	5.882	1.474	26
29.09.	232.463	3.414	1.506	32
30.09.	233.622	1.159	1.534	28

October 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.10.	238.614	4.992	1.569	35
02.10.	247.692	9.078	1.606	37
03.10.	255.422	7.730	1.652	46
04.10.	262.481	7.059	1.677	25
05.10.	265.075	2.594	1.715	38
06.10.	268.013	2.938	1.752	37
07.10.	273.734	5.721	1.779	27
08.10.	278.458	4.724	1.824	45
09.10.	282.622	4.164	1.850	26
10.10.	286.377	3.755	1.897	47
11.10.	289.340	2.963	1.937	40
12.10.	290.256	916	1.972	35
13.10.	291.902	1.646	2.018	46
14.10.	295.071	3.169	2.048	30
15.10.	297.407	2.336	2.086	38
16.10.	299.525	2.118	2.121	35
17.10.	301.137	1.612	2.152	31
18.10.	302.637	1.500	2.188	36
19.10.	303.049	412	2.220	32
20.10.	303.973	924	2.253	33
21.10.	305.490	1.517	2.285	32
22.10.	306.683	1.193	2.305	20
23.10.	307.855	1.172	2.330	25
24.10.	308.887	1.032	2.359	29
25.10.	309.736	849	2.385	26
26.10.	309.982	246	2.412	27
27.10.	310.588	606	2.447	35
28.10.	311.472	884	2.475	28
29.10.	312.359	887	2.503	28
30.10.	313.082	723	2.513	10
31.10.	313.726	644	2.532	19

November 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.11.	314.406	680	2.544	12
02.11.	314.634	228	2.569	25
03.11.	315.292	658	2.588	19
04.11.	316.080	788	2.603	15
05.11.	316.925	845	2.629	26
06.11.	317.694	769	2.645	16
07.11.	318.264	570	2.659	14
08.11.	318.955	691	2.675	16
09.11.	319.167	212	2.683	8
10.11.	319.701	534	2.690	7
11.11.	320.420	719	2.696	6
12.11.	321.095	675	2.706	10
13.11.	321.859	764	2.713	7
14.11.	322.695	836	2.725	12
15.11.	323.456	761	2.730	5
16.11.	323.747	291	2.742	12
17.11.	324.372	625	2.751	9
18.11.	325.245	873	2.759	8
19.11.	326.074	829	2.771	12
20.11.	326.869	795	2.778	7
21.11.	327.640	771	2.786	8
22.11.	328.414	774	2.792	6
23.11.	328.836	422	2.804	12
24.11.	329.598	762	2.820	16
25.11.	330.557	959	2.827	7
26.11.	331.414	857	2.833	6
27.11.	332.493	1.079	2.838	5
28.11.	333.580	1.087	2.847	9
29.11.	334.611	1.031	2.854	7
30.11.	335.193	582	2.863	9

December 2020
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.12.	336.217	1.024	2.873	10
02.12.	337.470	1.253	2.880	7
03.12.	338.669	1.199	2.890	10
04.12.	340.257	1.588	2.895	5
05.12.	341.709	1.452	2.905	10
06.12.	343.223	1.514	2.915	10
07.12.	344.223	1.000	2.925	10
08.12.	345.585	1.362	2.933	8
09.12.	347.444	1.859	2.940	7
10.12.	349.212	1.768	2.952	12
11.12.	351.078	1.866	2.966	14
12.12.	353.083	2.005	2.979	13
13.12.	354.918	1.835	2.991	12
14.12.	356.215	1.297	3.007	16
15.12.	357.944	1.729	3.016	9
16.12.	360.259	2.315	3.027	11
17.12.	363.150	2.891	3.039	12
18.12.	366.002	2.852	3.053	14
19.12.	368.848	2.846	3.070	17
20.12.	371.640	2.792	3.086	16
21.12.	373.527	1.887	3.105	19
22.12.	376.620	3.093	3.124	19
23.12.	380.469	3.849	3.140	16
24.12.	384.844	4.375	3.153	13
25.12.	388.879	4.035	3.178	25
26.12.	392.931	4.052	3.193	15
27.12.	396.941	4.010	3.213	20
28.12.	399.600	2.659	3.236	23
29.12.	403.128	3.528	3.257	21
30.12.	408.647	5.519	3.290	33
31.12.	414.285	5.638	3.316	26

January 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.01.	420.153	5.868	3.332	16
02.01.	426.028	5.875	3.368	36
03.01.	432.050	6.022	3.402	34
04.01.	436.268	4.218	3.429	27
05.01.	441.498	5.230	3.455	26
06.01.	449.905	8.407	3.492	37
07.01.	458.142	8.237	3.516	24
08.01.	466.020	7.878	3.560	44
09.01.	473.667	7.647	3.608	48
10.01.	481.827	8.160	3.653	45
11.01.	486.985	5.158	3.673	20
12.01.	493.922	6.937	3.714	41
13.01.	503.635	9.713	3.743	29
14.01.	512.933	9.298	3.798	55
15.01.	522.404	9.471	3.855	57
16.01.	531.699	9.295	3.914	59
17.01.	540.128	8.429	3.965	51
18.01.	545.215	5.087	4.012	47
19.01.	550.863	5.648	4.068	56
20.01.	560.980	10.117	4.114	46
21.01.	569.604	8.624	4.157	43
22.01.	577.968	8.364	4.211	54
23.01.	585.241	7.273	4.259	48
24.01.	592.629	7.388	4.325	66
25.01.	595.078	2.449	4.376	51
26.01.	600.023	4.945	4.453	77
27.01.	608.754	8.731	4.513	60
28.01.	616.554	7.800	4.566	53
29.01.	624.282	7.728	4.626	60
30.01.	631.466	7.184	4.675	49
31.01.	638.226	6.760	4.720	45

February 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.02.	640.849	2.623	4.758	38
02.02.	646.075	5.226	4.810	52
03.02.	655.001	8.926	4.856	46
04.02.	663.030	8.029	4.917	61
05.02.	670.504	7.474	4.974	57
06.02.	677.757	7.253	5.022	48
07.02.	684.341	6.584	5.055	33
08.02.	686.998	2.657	5.107	52
09.02.	691.594	4.596	5.151	44
10.02.	699.434	7.840	5.181	30
11.02.	705.598	6.164	5.224	43
12.02.	711.274	5.676	5.256	32
13.02.	716.283	5.009	5.286	30
14.02.	720.946	4.663	5.327	41
15.02.	722.833	1.887	5.356	29
16.02.	726.316	3.483	5.393	37
17.02.	731.504	5.188	5.409	16
18.02.	736.073	4.569	5.451	42
19.02.	740.240	4.167	5.478	27
20.02.	743.572	3.332	5.513	35
21.02.	747.364	3.792	5.535	22
22.02.	748.619	1.255	5.560	25
23.02.	751.726	3.107	5.584	24
24.02.	756.535	4.809	5.600	16
25.02.	760.982	4.447	5.635	35
26.02.	765.356	4.374	5.662	27
27.02.	769.170	3.814	5.685	23
28.02.	772.983	3.813	5.707	22

March 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.03.	774.421	1.438	5.736	29
02.03.	777.491	3.070	5.757	21
03.03.	782.350	4.859	5.775	18
04.03.	786.728	4.378	5.796	21
05.03.	791.397	4.669	5.812	16
06.03.	795.056	3.659	5.829	17
07.03.	798.771	3.715	5.847	18
08.03.	800.649	1.878	5.867	20
09.03.	802.995	2.346	5.882	15
10.03.	806.779	3.784	5.904	22
11.03.	809.899	3.120	5.919	15
12.03.	812.732	2.833	5.936	17
13.03.	815.281	2.549	5.954	18
14.03.	817.694	2.413	5.966	12
15.03.	818.477	783	5.982	16
16.03.	819.866	1.389	6.009	27
17.03.	821.989	2.123	6.025	16
18.03.	823.553	1.564	6.042	17
19.03.	825.083	1.530	6.055	13
20.03.	826.329	1.246	6.063	8
21.03.	827.413	1.084	6.075	12
22.03.	827.762	349	6.082	7
23.03.	828.436	674	6.097	15
24.03.	829.415	979	6.110	13
25.03.	830.103	688	6.125	15
26.03.	830.581	478	6.135	10
27.03.	831.423	842	6.145	10
28.03.	831.943	520	6.156	11
29.03.	832.174	231	6.162	6
30.03.	832.303	129	6.174	12
31.03.	832.666	363	6.184	10

April 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.04.	833.109	443	6.195	11
02.04.	833.601	492	6.211	16
03.04.	833.936	335	6.218	7
04.04.	834.354	418	6.234	16
05.04.	834.478	124	6.241	7
06.04.	834.674	196	6.249	8
07.04.	835.054	380	6.255	6
08.04.	835.359	305	6.261	6
09.04.	835.635	276	6.270	9
10.04.	835.847	212	6.281	11
11.04.	836.070	223	6.291	10
12.04.	836.156	86	6.300	9
13.04.	836.295	139	6.306	6
14.04.	836.516	221	6.312	6
15.04.	836.715	199	6.325	13
16.04.	836.911	196	6.328	3
17.04.	837.006	95	6.330	2
18.04.	837.115	109	6.335	5
19.04.	837.198	83	6.341	6
20.04.	837.339	141	6.345	4
21.04.	837.472	133	6.348	3
22.04.	837.631	159	6.351	3
23.04.	837.745	114	6.353	2
24.04.	837.874	129	6.355	2
25.04.	837.982	108	6.360	5
26.04.	838.021	39	6.364	4
27.04.	838.098	77	6.366	2
28.04.	838.191	93	6.368	2
29.04.	838.278	87	6.373	5
30.04.	838.374	96	6.373	0

May 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.05.	838.468	94	6.375	2
02.05.	838.547	79	6.377	2
03.05.	838.560	13	6.379	2
04.05.	838.610	50	6.380	1
05.05.	838.675	65	6.382	2
06.05.	838.747	72	6.384	2
07.05.	838.815	68	6.386	2
08.05.	838.863	48	6.388	2
09.05.	838.896	33	6.390	2
10.05.	838.912	16	6.391	1
11.05.	838.946	34	6.392	1
12.05.	838.998	52	6.394	2
13.05.	839.032	34	6.395	1
14.05.	839.059	27	6.395	0
15.05.	839.090	31	6.397	2
16.05.	839.117	27	6.397	0
17.05.	839.137	20	6.398	1
18.05.	839.166	29	6.399	1
19.05.	839.181	15	6.402	3
20.05.	839.203	22	6.402	0
21.05.	839.258	55	6.402	0
22.05.	839.291	33	6.402	0
23.05.	839.313	22	6.404	2
24.05.	839.325	12	6.404	0
25.05.	839.351	26	6.405	1
26.05.	839.380	29	6.405	0
27.05.	839.402	22	6.405	0
28.05.	839.416	14	6.405	0
29.05.	839.454	38	6.408	3
30.05.	839.454	0	6.408	0
31.05.	839.458	4	6.411	3

June 2021
	Infections		Deceased
Date	summed up	New infections	summed up	per day
01.06.	839.483	25	6.412	1
02.06.	839.515	32	6.413	1
03.06.	839.515	0	6.413	0
04.06.	839.539	24	6.417	4
05.06.	839.539	0	6.417	0

Infections

Deaths

Confirmed deaths in Israel according to WHO data. Top cumulative, bottom daily values

Confirmed infected persons in Israel according to WHO data. Top cumulative, bottom daily values

History

On March 17, 2020, it was announced that Interior Minister Arje Deri, Agriculture Minister Zachi Ha-Negbi, and two Knesset members were quarantined after meeting with an infected person. Economy Minister Eli Cohen no longer ruled out a complete shutdown of the country.

In May 2020, an analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material from various sufferers in Israel revealed that seven out of ten had contracted a strain of the virus that had been introduced into Israel from the United States. Tel Aviv University researchers also detected viral strains from Belgium (8%), France (6%), the United Kingdom (5%), Spain (3%), Italy (2%), the Philippines (2%), Australia (2%), and Russia (2%).

Until the beginning of May, very strict exit restrictions applied in Israel; by mid-May, only 16 newly infected people per day were counted in Israel. Then, abrupt relaxations were allowed (probably also in view of the difficult economic situation with an unemployment rate of around 20 percent); schools were opened.

When temperatures reached 42 degrees during the first heat wave of the year, the Ministry of Health temporarily lifted the obligation to wear masks. Later, many people ignored this obligation. Since the fine was doubled to 500 shekels (about 130 euros), everyone is again complying with the mask requirement.

On June 20, the "National Center for Information and Knowledge in the Fight Against Coronavirus" was the first agency to officially state that there would be thousands of new infections per day and several hundred additional COVID-19 deaths if Israel did not take action soon against the second wave.

At the beginning of July, 10,000 active cases and more than 1,000 new infections a day were reported. The proportion of Israelis testing positive has quadrupled to more than four percent of all those tested. Those infected are now much younger than in the spring. Private indoor events have been limited to 20 participants since July 3, and to 50 in synagogues, bars and clubs.

On July 6, the closure of bars, clubs, theaters, wedding halls, concert halls, swimming pools and fitness centers was ordered.

On July 9, 2020, 1,464 new cases and 35,500 infected persons were reported. The following day, curfews were imposed in certain neighborhoods in the cities of Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Lod, Ramla, and Kiryat Mal'achi, and others were extended elsewhere. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was heavily criticized by many Israelis for his actions and communications regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of mid-September 2020, Israel had achieved one of the highest rates of new infections in the world relative to its population size. With approximately 46,370 active cases, 5,238 new infections had been recorded as of September 17 alone. 577 patients were in critical condition. Thus, a second lockdown was ordered just hours before the start of the Rosh Ha-Shanah holiday on September 18.

Measures

First, the Israeli government imposed a 14-day home quarantine on all returnees from Japan and South Korea. Subsequently, an entry ban was also imposed on all citizens of South Korea and on all travelers who had been in South Korea during the previous two weeks. On March 6, an order by the Minister of Interior went into effect at 8 a.m. banning travelers from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland from entering Israel unless they can prove they have a quarantine facility in a locked housing unit. The crossing at the Allenby Bridge from Jordan into the West Bank, controlled by Israeli authorities, was completely closed. On March 11, 2020, Israel banned events and gatherings of more than 100 people. Schools and universities were closed. Five days later, the number for gatherings was lowered to ten, with orders to keep at least two meters apart. On March 12, 2020, entry restrictions were extended to all travelers from abroad. Violators of ordered quarantines were threatened with prison terms of up to seven years. In addition, schools and universities were closed. On March 17, the Israeli Embassy Berlin was closed after Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. On March 18, orders were issued to close all hotels, kindergartens, stores, shopping malls, restaurants, entertainment venues such as amusement parks, theaters, cinemas or fitness centers. Grocery stores, banks, pharmacies and gas stations remained exempt. On public buses, the number of passengers was limited and payment with cash was prohibited. The announcement of these measures led to hoarding purchases among the population. Hotels with at least 200 beds and a maximum distance of 30 kilometers from a medical center are to be converted to accommodate patients with minor illnesses and operated by the Israel Defense Forces for an initial period of one month, with an option to extend for another month.

According to the Health Ministry's recommendation, since March 18, foreigners have been barred from entering Israel even if they can prove they have a home quarantine.

Over the course of the second half of March 2020, the railroad's passenger services were gradually suspended until they were discontinued altogether on March 25, 2020, following a government decision to that effect. From the end of April 2020, the resumption of traffic was then considered and postponed several times, most recently to June 1, 2020.

With a new decree, the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet received general permission to collect individual information of citizens. Shin Bet accessed people's cell phone and movement data and registered patients. The data were not anonymized. People who were identified as contacts of infected persons according to this data received a request to go into quarantine immediately.

On March 18, 2020, mass surveillance tools began to be deployed. 400 people who had been in contact with people infected with COVID-19 were informed by text message that they must go into quarantine. The mass surveillance aims to alert people who have been within two meters for 10 minutes or more of someone found to be infected with COVID-19 in the past two weeks. Self-quarantine lasts 14 days, so if the incident occurred 10 days earlier, self-quarantine must last four days. The electronic tracking program has been met with sharp criticism, including from government officials. Its legality has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

On March 19, the first shipment of 100,000 COVID-19 test kits arrived, apparently organized abroad by the Mossad intelligence service. Further, according to research by the New York Times, the service secured medical protective equipment and the technical knowledge to build respirators and to set up its own mask production facility. Two of the special missions had failed - in Germany, for example, officials stopped a shipment before Mossad could get it out of the factory, and another failed when Indian customs officials stopped a shipment of disinfectant.

On April 2, 2020, Bnei Berak, the town with the highest percentage of infected people, became the first Israeli town to be declared a restricted zone and sealed off by police. Of the approximately 200,000 mostly ultra-Orthodox residents, 7,030 had contracted COVID-19 by then.

Schools reopened in early May, beaches in mid-May, and bar and restaurant visits were possible again by the 22nd week. Moshe Bar-Simon-Tow, as director general of the Ministry of Health, again noted an increase in infection rates, over a longer period of time and in different parts of the country. Neither the heat waves nor the humidity had caused the disease to disappear. Consideration was given to closing some schools or grades, or to early summer vacations.

A second lockdown went into effect at 2 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2020. The mass of the population is not allowed to leave a radius of one kilometer around their home address, except for emergencies, work or shopping.

On November 12, 2020, it was announced that BioNTech/Pfizer's BNT162b2 vaccine against COVID-19 could likely be administered beginning in January 2021, following its approval by the FDA. A total of eight million doses will be delivered during 2021. After two vaccinations per person are needed, this would be enough to vaccinate four million Israelis (about 40% of the population). Israel had previously signed an agreement for the sale of a vaccine with the American pharmaceutical company Moderna.

In early 2021, Amnesty International demanded that Israel "stop ignoring its international obligations as an occupying power." Vaccines should also be "made available to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza." In response, Alan Posener made clear that Palestinians in Gaza were not living under Israeli occupation but under the administration of Hamas, and that 96 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank were controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah, which was also responsible for medical care. Posener highlighted that by the mid-2020s, according to the United Nations, there had been "strong Israeli-Palestinian cooperation" in this area, such as Israel training Palestinian medical personnel or laboratory technicians and planning a joint vaccination campaign. However, he said, PA chief Mahmoud Abbas cut off all cooperation with Israel out of anger over the Trump Middle East plan. Posener also objected to the claim that Israeli Arabs and Palestinians living in East Jerusalem receive less vaccine than Jewish Israelis. According to Posener, the lower vaccination rates are related to conspiracy theories circulating on Arabic-language social media that the vaccine used by Israel will kill Arabs or alter their DNA.

Religion

At the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, a large number of Orthodox Jews gathered in mid-February 2020 for a mass prayer against COVID-19.

Around March 12, 2020, Israel's top rabbis recommended staying away from the Wailing Wall altogether. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, who is in charge of the Wailing Wall, ordered to refrain from ritual kissing of the Wall in order not to spread COVID-19 further.

The Israeli government's March 16 order that gatherings may not consist of more than ten people also applies to staying at the Wailing Wall.

There are particularly high SARS-CoV-2 infection rates among ultra-Orthodox Jews. A minority of them nevertheless resist state precautions.

A kashrut expert from Beitar Illit lost his work visa in the U.S. after he flew to the U.S. in mid-April 2020 and back to Israel on a United Airlines flight on April 23 without informing authorities that he had already tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before traveling to the U.S. and received a positive result a short time later. After re-entering Israel, he had to go into quarantine, as did the other passengers on his flight.

Prayer