On Friday afternoon, just before Shabbos began, members of the Corona Cabinet in the government passed the Health Ministry’s recommendations into edicts with regard to how to operate the malls and business centers during the fifth wave of the Coronavirus in Israel. The Ministry presented its plan to the Corona Cabinet last Tuesday and the vote was held by the cabinet via telephone on Friday.

According to the plan, all malls and business centers will now operate following the purple tag guidelines. According to these rules, one person will be allowed for every 15 meters. Additionally, entrance into stores of more than 100 meters will be allowed for those carrying a green pass that will need to be presented at the entrance. This will hold true for open space outdoor malls as well as closed indoor malls. Staff in these stores will also need a valid green pass.

Food stands in the malls will be allowed to service people who present a green pass, and there will be no seating, but rather pick up and deliveries only. Restaurants in malls will be allowed to seat patrons who have a valid green pass, similar to what is taking place currently.

Green passes will not be applied to stores that provide a necessary service, such as – drug stores, opticians, stores that sell medical equipment, food stores such as mini-markets, and supermarkets. These stores will operate under a purple tag system and allow one person for every seven meters of space.

The regulations will begin to take place at midnight between Sunday and Monday this week, assuming that the regulations are passed by the Constitutional Committee in the Knesset.