Israel is downsizing its COVID-fighting measures over low infections and hospitalization rates, according to a Health Ministry statement on Sunday.
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The ministry named the project "between the waves" and says that COVID-related services will be scaled down, such as testing sites, labs, and tracking mechanisms
"This is a plan involving mainly the system's resources," a senior official said.
"Testing policies will remain in place, as will the rest of the services related to the pandemic. But the current situation allows us to lower the flame and reduce activities, some of which started to shrink naturally due to low demand for tests."
The official added that the ministry could expand services quickly in case of a renewed outbreak or the rise of a new variant.
"We are improving from wave to wave," the official said.
He continued: "So far, we have dealt with variants that were either more virulent and less infectious, or more infectious and less virulent. Now the scenario we are preparing for is a situation in which variants appear that are both more virulent in terms of illness and death and more infectious, like the variants in the omicron family."
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The downsizing comes as Israel lifts its mask mandate in light of the decline in infections. However, the Health Ministry retained the rule for hospitals, care homes, and airplanes.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
