KATHMANDU: With about 81 percent of its residents over 16 having received both doses of vaccines against terrifying coronavirus pandemic, Israel has turned the first nation to rescind the mandatory outdoor mask order.

According to sources, most of the citizens or residents over 16 – the age group eligible for the Pfizer/BioNTech (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) vaccine in Israel – having received both doses, contagions and hospitalizations have declined sharply.

However, the entry by foreigners is still limited and non-immune Israelis who return from abroad must self-isolate, due to concern virus variants could challenge the vaccine.

The Health Ministry said it had detected seven cases of a new Indian variant in Israel, whose potency was being assessed.

“We are leading the world right now when it comes to emerging from the coronavirus,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters. “(But) we have still not finished with the coronavirus. It can return.”

“Breathing Freely,” read the cover headline of the mass-circulation daily Israel Hayom.

(With inputs from Reuters)