Defense Minister Benny Gantz held an assessment Friday morning ahead of the closure of the Alon headquarters at the Home Front Command, with the participation of Home Front Command Commander Major General Uri Gordin, the head of the Alon headquarters, Brigadier General Nissan Davidi, and the local commanders.
The Defense Minister approved the command plans for the deployment of forces in dozens of cities, with an emphasis on changing the way the coronavirus testing system operates, which will focus on 30 localities. The tests will be conducted under a policy of referrals from the health funds or epidemiological investigations, in order to focus the effort to combat the coronavirus.
Gantz also received an update on the efforts to cut off the chains of infection, which are expected to increase in the coming weeks. Among the new policies are accelerated evacuation of confirmed patients to coronavirus hotels in the coming weeks due to the lockdown and the High Holidays.
The Defense Minister also approved an extensive assistance program for populations affected by the lockdown led by the Ministry of Defense together with local authorities, the IDF and the Home Front Command. The assistance program will operate with an emphasis on the elderly and families which are cared for by welfare officials.
At the end of the visit, Ganz wanted to thank the IDF commanders and soldiers who will be deployed in the field during the holidays and the lockdown and wished them a happy new year.
The lockdown on the State of Israel meant to reduce the spread of the coronavirus will begin on Friday at 2:00 p.m.
During the lockdown, 7,000 police officers and soldiers will be deployed across the country to enforce the the restrictions.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a press conference Thursday night, following emergency consultations with senior health officials in a teleconference, regarding the possibility of imposing stricter restrictions during the upcoming lockdown.
“We are about to enter the second lockdown since the coronavirus pandemic broke out across the globe,” said Netanyahu.
“This lockdown is important, this lockdown is necessary, and in this lockdown we will all stand together.”
