‘Stay at home’: Health Ministry chides Israelis for flouting restrictions

Health Ministry officials warned on Tuesday that Israelis risked letting the coronavirus pandemic spiral out of control by refusing to comply with restrictions on activities, gatherings, and movement.

By World Israel News Staff

Despite tightening restrictions imposed by the nation’s Health Ministry could be found at the beginning of the week visiting the beach in Tel Aviv, gathering with friends in parks, and attending exercise classes.

“We have a narrow window,” warned Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov on Monday during a a Channel 12 interview.

Siman-Tov referred to the fact that the nations hit hardest by the coronavirus, such as China, Italy, and South Korea, had squandered a two to three day window during which the virus could have bee contained.

Those nations “lost control” Siman-Tov lamented, fearing that if Israelis do not heed his ministry’s warnings, Israel could experience a similar fate.

“Stay at home,” Siman-Tov added, telling Israelis to stop going to the beach, while the economy pays the price for massive work stoppage.

The ministry’s deputy director, Itamar Grotto, had a similar message, alarmed that some Israelis were treating the greenlight to work from home as a “holiday,” Ynet reported.

Grotto continued to advocate the ministry’s position that the country should institute a complete lockdown, a step that the treasury reportedly opposes.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health announced even tighter restrictions on gatherings and movement.

“Do not leave home for playgrounds, the beach, pool, libraries, museums, nature reserves and parks or other public spaces,” the ministry said in a publicly released statement.

The Ministry of Transportation also introduced restrictions on public transportation, instituting curfews on buses and trains, which will stop at 8 PM with no public transportation on Friday and on Saturday.