Police Officials to Set Up SMS System to Monitor Compliance with Quarantine

The Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Naftali Bennett, had a meeting with relevant officials and ministers on Sunday. During the meeting, the members present talked about measures to be taken to enhance the enforcement of the coronavirus rules and regulations in the country. Since the previous week, this responsibility has been assigned to the Public Security Ministry.

As of now, the authorities are trying to come up with an effective enforcement system, which will combine technology, as well as the use of local inspectors and police officers. In addition, the attendees of the meeting mutually decided that people carrying the coronavirus, who are found to be breaching isolation, will be charged as criminals.

Bennett further instructed the attorney general and the ministry to monitor the legal aspect of using technological tools to keep an eye on those who are in quarantine. He wants the police to be given permission to regulate the location of patients in isolation, by using an SMS system.

It was also announced the priority in enforcement will be awarded to weddings, as well as any such events that are deemed to be at high risk of causing and spreading the deadly disease.

From Wednesday onwards, the relevant authorities of the government have decided to limit access to indoor parties and weddings, which have more than 100 guests. People who have recovered, vaccinated, or are able to present a negative test of the coronavirus, will be permitted to attend. In addition, holders of the ‘Happy Badge’, provided by the government, will also be allowed in.

The Prime Minister talked about these new policies, saying that the government is only aiming to establish sensible guidelines, as well effective and aggressive enforcement against the people violating the rules set in place. He went on to say that violators are only endangering their health, as well as the health of the people of Israel. Adamant about not letting that happen, he added that in order to beat the latest mutation of the coronavirus, the Delta variant, it is vital to implement and follow regulations.

Earlier the same day, Nitzan Horowitz, the health minister, stated that there is a possibility of another lockdown in the country. However, he pointed out that the government does not want to consider that option and is trying everything it can do to avoid it.

On Saturday, the country recorded 430 new cases of the coronavirus. From a total of 33,000 processed tests, 1.47% came up positive. Just a day earlier, the number of cases reported had been 1,120, from 76,000 carried out. This is the highest number since the month of March.

In the beginning of the month of June, the State of Israel had been registering around 10 to 20 new cases in a day. The new outbreak started out in a couple of schools in some cities and quickly gained speed.

The increase in serious morbidity, on the other hand, has remained limited, despite the rising case. The number of patients who are in a serious condition is continuously rising.