Lockdowns Ordered on Hot-Spot Neighborhoods in Beit Shemesh, Netivot

The Cabinet on Friday ordered a lockdown on several neighborhoods in Beit Shemesh and Netivot, where there has been a stark rise in the number of coronavirus infections in recent days.

The lockdown will start on Sunday at 6 a.m and run for at least five days until Friday at 6 a.m, the Cabinet decided.

The lockdown restrictions are similar to those imposed on Bnei Brak and several neighborhoods in Yerushalayim in recent weeks, barring people from leaving. Those restrictions were lifted this past Sunday.

In Netivot, the order applied to the neighborhoods of Netaim and Shlom Banayich. It also applies to the Chazani, Tzaban, Hatzalah, Brosh, Bilu and Gershonowitz Streets in the southern town.

In Beit Shemesh, the neighborhoods of Nachalah U’Menuchah and Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet were to be locked down.

The Health Ministry said that during the lockdown, the Home Front Command would help ensure that residents had access to food and basic services.

Most of the lockdowns thus far in the coronavirus pandemic have come in chareidi cities and neighborhoods, and have led to accusations of discrimination. To counter that, the Health Ministry developed independent criteria of infection rates that would guide when lockdowns are imposed.