Israeli middle school students will no longer be required to carry out twice-weekly antigen tests for COVID-19, starting this Thursday, Feb. 24.
Two weeks after that, on March 10 elementary school children will likewise be free to enter their classrooms without having to first test themselves for the virus.
“In order to maintain the public’s trust and ensure that Israeli citizens follow the guidelines and decisions made by the government, it is important to open up when the situation improves,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday in making the announcement.
“And it has improved significantly,” he said, adding the improvement was the result of “proper and dynamic management.”
The prime minister cautioned, however, that the government would nevertheless “keep [its] finger on the pulse” and in the case of a new variant “again respond quickly.”
The indoor face mask mandate, however, continues to be in force for the time being.
