Dead Sea area leader: 'Cancel requirement to wear masks in schools' - Inside Israel

Megilot Regional Council Head spearheads initiative to cancel requirement to wear masks at school, for all children in hot areas.

Megilot Regional Council Head Aryeh Cohen is pushing for the cancellation of the requirement to wear masks in schools where the climate is hot.

After parents complained, Cohen turned to the heads of regional councils along Route 90, from Beit She'an in the north to Eilat in the south, in order to advance the issue with the Health Ministry. Following his query, a letter was sent to the Health Minister and the Health Ministry Director-General, signed by the leaders of Eilat, Hevel Eilot, the Central Arava, Tamar, Beit She'an, Emek Hamayanot, the Jordan Valley, and Megilot.

In their letter, the local leaders wrote, "In the southeastern areas of the country, the heat is oppressive even during these days, and [it continues to be so] until the end of the summer."

"Following the cancellation of the requirement to wear masks in schools across Israel last week, due to the heatwave, we are turning to you with a request to allow an exemption for the summer months in areas where the heat is very oppressive.

"In addition, in these areas, the level of coronavirus infection is anyways low, and in some of the authorities is nonexistent. Obviously, other than the masks, we will continue to act according to guidelines and according to the social distancing instructions for businesses. We turn to you with a request to receive an exemption from the requirement to wear masks in schools during the summer months."

In addition to the letter, parents from the regions in question are working to garner signatures for a petition of their own, requesting that the requirement to wear masks be canceled.