A general view of a usually busy street is seen as Israel tightened a national stay-at-home policy following the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jerusalem March 22, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo.

CTech – As of next week, Israel will start to roll back some of the restrictions it put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), according to the plan to jump-start the economy submitted by Israel’s Ministry of Finance Saturday night to the National Security Council. According to the plan, as of April 19, companies will be permitted to have 50% of their employees return to work from the office, as long as employees can still follow social distancing guidelines. In addition, shopping centers containing fewer than 15 stores will be allowed to reopen.

The plan was drafted by Israel’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, and Bank of Israel governor Amir Yaron, but still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to go ahead officially.

Looking further ahead, starting May 3, companies will be allowed to have 85% of their employees work from the office, grades one through three will return to in-class instruction — with reduced numbers of students per class — and malls will reopen.

Israel recorded its 103rd coronavirus death and saw a total of 10,878 confirmed Covid-19 cases as of Sunday morning, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The number of people in severe condition in Israel reached 174, with 123 of them requiring connection to ventilators. More than 1,385 people throughout the country have recovered from the disease.

Also Sunday morning, a new health order has taken effect that states that all persons are required to wear a mask when venturing outside their homes. The health order does not apply to children below the age of six. Israel Police was instructed not to fine citizens who fail to don a mask, but rather let them off with a warning and a reminder to do so.