Israel plans to open up some hotels, gyms and other leisure facilities in two weeks to those documented as being immune to COVID-19, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Wednesday, in a possible harbinger of a wider emergence from the pandemic.
Having administered Pfizer Inc vaccines to almost 40% of its 9 million population, Israel saw first signs of managing to outpace highly contagious virus variants, he added.
Israel has said it would issue an official app allowing users to link up to their Health Ministry files and show if they have been vaccinated against or recovered from COVID-19, with presumed immunity, in order to gain entry to leisure facilities.
Those to whom neither applies would be able to get a COVID-19 test and, if the result is negative, display it on the app for up to 72 hours of similar access, officials have said.
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A French nun receives the coronavirus vaccine in Tel Aviv as the city rolls out inoculations for foreign nationals
(Photo: Reuters)
Initially dubbed "Green Passport," the system has been renamed "Green Pass" in an apparent bid to head off speculation that it would also enable unfettered travel abroad.
"The estimated [implementation] date is the 23rd of the month," Edelstein told Ynet.
"We are talking about gyms, hotels, places like that, where using the Green Pass would be both appropriate and practicable," he said.
"Today - finally, finally - there is an encouraging sign, a small reduction in morbidity," he said. "If this vector continues, we will meet all of our commitments."
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Volunteer rescue personnel and IDF troops team up to vaccinate housebound Israelis
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
After launching the vaccination drive and Israel's third national lockdown in December, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted the economy could begin reopening this month. He is up for reelection on March 23.
Israel has logged 706,000 COVID-19 cases and 5,233 deaths. The Health Ministry gave a 5.9% infection rate on Wednesday, Israel's lowest in a month.
The "R" reproductive rate was at 0.93, having fallen steadily from the 1 threshold this week.
Edelstein also said Wednesday that Israel is considering whether to legally compel members of the teaching profession to have the vaccine.
"No one has the right to endanger the children of Israel," Edelstein told reporters.