Israel lifted their public mask mandate

Vaccinations are working

More than 55 per cent of its 9.3 million citizens has received two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, allowing Israel citizens to gradually return to normal.

Israel lifted a public mask mandate and fully re-opened its education system in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions following its mass vaccination drive.

All primary and secondary school grades returned to classrooms on Sunday, and health officials ended a year-long requirement to wear a mask in public spaces.

Masks are still required indoors and in large gatherings.

Israel has speedily inoculated a majority of its population against the coronavirus in a world-leading vaccination campaign.

It has lifted most of its coronavirus restrictions and announced last week that it would be re-opening the country to vaccinated foreign tourists starting in May.

Israel's coronavirus czar, Nachman Ash, told Israeli public radio on Sunday that removing the mask requirement outdoors and reinitiating in-class studies was a "calculated risk".

Since the start of the pandemic last year, Israel has recorded more than 836,000 cases of the coronavirus and at least 6331 deaths.