<p>Israel announced Thursday that it will impose a nationwide lockdown from next week, its third of the Covid-19 pandemic, just days after it began vaccinations against the virus.</p>.<p>"A general lockdown will be imposed from 17:00 (1500 GMT) on Sunday for two weeks," a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.</p>.<p>"There is an option to extend the lockdown for an additional two weeks unless the basic reproduction number (for the virus) falls below 1 and the number of new cases per day falls below 1,000."</p>.<p>Israelis will be barred from travelling more than one kilometre (1,000 yards or so) from their homes and businesses will be closed except for deliveries.</p>.<p>Exceptions will be made for those travelling for vaccinations and schools will remain partially open for some age groups.</p>.<p>The new lockdown comes after a sharp rebound in the infection rate since the last lockdown in September, when the per capita infection rate was among the highest in the world.</p>.<p>In a population of nine million, Israel has now confirmed 385,022 coronavirus cases, 3,150 of them fatal.</p>.<p>Israel launched a nationwide inoculation programme on Monday after receiving a first consignment of the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.</p>.<p>On Wednesday, the health ministry confirmed four cases of a new strain of Covid-19 that emerged in southern England and that British health officials believe spreads faster.</p>.<p>In response, Israel this week banned foreign nationals arriving from Britain, Denmark or South Africa, where a separate new strain has emerged.</p>.<p>It also imposed a mandatory quarantine for all arrivals from abroad.</p>
<p>Israel announced Thursday that it will impose a nationwide lockdown from next week, its third of the Covid-19 pandemic, just days after it began vaccinations against the virus.</p>.<p>"A general lockdown will be imposed from 17:00 (1500 GMT) on Sunday for two weeks," a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.</p>.<p>"There is an option to extend the lockdown for an additional two weeks unless the basic reproduction number (for the virus) falls below 1 and the number of new cases per day falls below 1,000."</p>.<p>Israelis will be barred from travelling more than one kilometre (1,000 yards or so) from their homes and businesses will be closed except for deliveries.</p>.<p>Exceptions will be made for those travelling for vaccinations and schools will remain partially open for some age groups.</p>.<p>The new lockdown comes after a sharp rebound in the infection rate since the last lockdown in September, when the per capita infection rate was among the highest in the world.</p>.<p>In a population of nine million, Israel has now confirmed 385,022 coronavirus cases, 3,150 of them fatal.</p>.<p>Israel launched a nationwide inoculation programme on Monday after receiving a first consignment of the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.</p>.<p>On Wednesday, the health ministry confirmed four cases of a new strain of Covid-19 that emerged in southern England and that British health officials believe spreads faster.</p>.<p>In response, Israel this week banned foreign nationals arriving from Britain, Denmark or South Africa, where a separate new strain has emerged.</p>.<p>It also imposed a mandatory quarantine for all arrivals from abroad.</p>