Over 240 malls across Israel reopened Wednesday after nearly three months of inactivity.
Following a two-week pilot consisting of 15 shopping centers across the country operating under strict restrictions, which has been lauded as a success, ministers Tuesday approved the reopening, despite increased national coronavirus morbidity and fears of a possible third lockdown.
In a joint statement released by the Health Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, shopping malls along with all outdoor markets and museums will all be allowed to reopen.
However, businesses will still be subject to social distancing restrictions to limit overcrowding, and computerized registration systems will be installed to monitor the number of customers.
Rules regarding mask-wearing and other sanitary measures will also be enforced with the new provisions being valid until at least December 23.
The so-called coronavirus cabinet approved the measure after it backtracked on a proposal to initiate a nighttime curfew across Israel to curb the rise in virus cases, which was due to go into effect on Wednesday and last for at least three weeks.
But the proposal was scrapped after legal hurdles appeared.
Representatives for Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit warned that they would not be able to defend the government's decision to impose such measures against possible challenges, as senior health officials did not approve the decision.
Moreover, health experts, including the government's own coronavirus czar, Prof. Nachman Ash, expressed skepticism that a nightly curfew would be effective against the spread of the disease, insisting that the measure would only "delay the inevitable."
A government meeting was scheduled for Thursday evening to examine other measures that could assist against the pandemic.