Israel doubly deserted on Yom Kippur during holiday and COVID-19 lockdown

Children ride bicycles through a deserted street on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement and the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, as Israel imposes a second nationwide coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown amid a rise in infections, in Jerusalem September 28, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - In ordinary times Yom Kippur brings much of Israel to a standstill, as businesses close and roads empty for the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

But the world has looked very different this year, so deserted highways in city centres have become something of a familiar sight, even on days other than religious holidays when.