Israel on Thursday cancelled plans to impose a night-time curfew that was meant to prevent a new wave of coronavirus infections, ahead of the start of  Jewish holiday Hanukkah, reported AFP.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had at the beginning of the week announced a night-time curfew from Thursday, the first day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.

A section of the population and public health experts had criticised the measure considered it ineffective in combating the pandemic.

The government however, on Thursday announced that “there will no new restrictions for Hanukkah” and that no new measures will be announced as long as less than 2,500 new COVID-19 cases are announced per day.

A statement from the government said, “If the number of new cases passes 2,500 per day, we will impose new restrictions for three weeks.”

Israel has recorded 351,579 COVID-19 cases, including 2,937 deaths since the start of the pandemic. 

The cancellation of the night-time curfew comes the day after the first COVID-19 vaccines ordered from US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its partner BioNTech arrived in Israel.

Israel has ordered 14 million doses of the vaccine — covering seven million people, as two doses are required per person for optimal protection — from Pfizer and US biotech firm Moderna.

Netanyahu announced on Wednesday the country would start administering the vaccines from December 27.

“I’m asking that every Israeli citizen be vaccinated, and to do so, requested to set an example and be the first person being vaccinated in Israel,” he announced Wednesday, saying “we’re bringing an end to the plague”.

Health ministry official Hezi Levy said on Thursday the first to be vaccinated would be medical personnel — around 250,000 people — then the elderly, at-risk people and their carers.

These groups would be followed by teachers, soldiers and finally, the rest of the population.