As the number of those infected by the Corona 19’s Delta variant
continues to rise, a fierce debate is taking place within Israeli
political and health circles if a lockdown will slow the rapid pace of
the contagion.
The good news is that a lock down, something that
crippled Israel’s economy when last imposed, will be the last resort,
according to Prof. Ron Baliczer, an advisor to the government’s Corona
cabinet. This can be avoided, he told a Kan’s Reshet Bet radio program,
“If we can inoculate the recalcitrant 1.2 million unvaccinated Israelis.
That is the way to avoid the lockdown.” Israel is also the first country in the world to begin inoculating those 60 plus, and those with health conditions that put them at risk, with the third Pfizer “Booster” vaccine. Health officials say that they may soon begin giving the vaccine to those 50 plus.
Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked joined the chorus of health and political officials urging everyone over 60 to take the third Pfizer “booster” in order to stop the spread of the virus. She told Israel radio’s Reshet Bet, “There’s no need for anyone over 60 to wait in line. Just show up at the HMO and you get the vaccine.” She also said Israel is considering inoculating those over 50 in the near future.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stressed on Sunday that Arab Israelis should also get vaccinated, pointing out the relatively low inoculation rates in the community. According to reports, 51% of Arab Israelis have been vaccinated compared to 66% of other Israelis. However, the Arab Israeli health non-profit Galilee Society said that 83% of Arab Israelis over 50 had been vaccinated compared to 92% of other Israelis. But, according to experts, the Bedouin communities in the south of Israel have been reluctant to get the vaccine and only about 20% have been inoculated.
Prof. Tal Brosh, head of Infectious Diseases at Assuta, Ashdod University Hospital, told Esti Perez on an Israel Radio Reshet Bet talk show, that the only real solution to the problem is vaccinations. Brosh said that a lockdown was “super drastic.” He also said that by the time Corona runs its course, most of the population in Israel would have been infected. But the question is, he asked, do you want to be infected when you have an immunity through the vaccine, or be open to the infection with no protection? The unvaccinated, he said, are not only endangering themselves, but those they come in contact with, either at home or at work.
According to Ynet news, the Israeli government is only going to consider a lockdown when the number reaches 600-700 serious cases a day. Health experts like Prof. Brosh, say that beyond the 600-700 number the health system will be overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients, leaving others with heart conditions or cancer or in need of surgery, pushed aside. Already hospitals in Israel are reporting a lack of beds and a paucity of health workers resulting in nurses and doctors already to work double shifts.
On Monday, Israel reported a new record of 3,392 new cases in 24-hours, with 360 serious cases, compared to 257 last Thursday, and with 47 people on ventilators. The C-19 positivity rate has climbed to 3.9%. The death toll is at 6542, with 16 deaths reported in the two days. Israel now has 31,736 active cases.
The Israeli government has also decided on a series of other steps, besides pushing vaccinations, to try to slow the spread of the virus. As of August 16 the Green Pass, showing two inoculations, will be required at restaurants, gyms, hotels, synagogues with more than 50 people, outdoor gatherings, like weddings, sporting events, and concerts. Masks will also be mandatory in outdoor venues of over 100 people.
As of Aug 20, children under 12 will also have to prove they are not C-19 positive. To accomplish this Israel’s Magen David Adom (Israel’s Red Cross) has established 120 testing centers across the country to provide results within 15-minutes.These results can be presented at the entry to an event.
Israel’s schools are scheduled to open on September 1. According to news reports, the government has a plan that all 1.6 million kids in kindergarten and grades 1-6 will undergo a serology test to check if they have COVID-19 antibodies. Additionally, the families of 1.9 million children in kindergartens and grades 1-9 will receive a rapid COVID-19 home test kit within 48 hours of the start of the school year and will be asked to test their children prior to their coming to class.
A pilot program of this plan has begun with the 250,000 Israeli ultra-Orthodox students who returned to school today. Haredi, ultra-Orthodox, students usually return to school the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul, after their traditional summer break. Israel has also issued a new list of countries that require a 7-day quarantine for returning travelers. As of now, only 10 countries in the world can be visited without the traveler returning to Israel and undergoing a mandatory week-long quarantine. One commentator said that this move essentially closes Israel’s Ben Gurion airport since most travelers won’t want to undergo the quarantine.
Israel has also listed 15 local authorities as Red, with a very high number of C-19 cases : Kiryat Malachi, Sderot, Harish, Nesher, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Gat, Netanya, Elas, Beit She’en, Ma’ale Adumim, Be’er Yaakov, Tiberias, Or Yehuda, Yavne, and Afula.
According to Ncovid2019.live/data, there are now 203,461,989 cases of Covid-19 world-wide, with 4, 307,546 deaths, and 21,886,232 active cases. The USA is still number one with 36,543,338 cases, 633,116 deaths and 6,051,160 active cases. Israel is 34th on the list of countries most infected.
MISSILES
Along the Northern Border: left in square Hezbollah flags, border fence. Right IDF radar station.
Israel and Hezbollah, a terrorist group based in Lebanon, exchanged fire on the Northern border. Last week Hezbollah fired three missiles at Israel. Israel responded immediately with artillery fire and later with IAF jets bombing the rockets launch sites. Last Friday 19 missiles were fired from Lebanon into Israel, most fell in open land, some even in Lebanon. A few were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome. A couple landed near Kryiat Shmona setting off a fierce brush fire.
Lebanon is currently in the midst of a severe financial crises. Riots have broken out in the streets protesting the cost of bread and milk and gasoline. Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, has, according to pundits, tried to set itself up as the protector of Lebanon against Israel. But observers say that Lebanon is coming apart at the seams with high unemployment and low income. Lebanon is also split along religious lines and has long been controlled by a coalition of Christians and Sunni Moslems, while Hezbollah, run by Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, is made up of Iranian-backed Shiites.
Both Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz have warned Hezbollah against continued attacks against Israel. According to the TimesofIsrael, PM Bennett has said that after the flare-up on the norther border, the Lebanese government must take responsibility and “clean up its backyard,” referring, according to pundits, to the need to reign in Hezbollah. However, both sides have said they are not interested in a deterioration along the border. The US has called on Israel to show restraint.
Giora Eiland, Major General (ret.)and former head of the Israeli National Security Council, wrote an analysis in YnetNews also called for restraint. He encouraged the world to provide financial aid to Lebanon but make that aid contingent on a reduction of Hezbollah’s military and political power. Last week a protest against
Hezbollah turned violent in a Southern Lebanese Druze village. More protests are expected. However, pundits point out that neither Hamas nor Hezbollah are concerned with their respective populations but rather with the higher goal of destroying Israel for religious reasons.Last week both Hamas and Hezbollah representatives attended the swearing in of Iran’s new President Ebrahim Raisi, who swore to help them in their struggle against Israel.
Israel has also been beset by incendiary balloons sent over the Southern border from Gaza by Hamas operatives. The fires caused by the balloons have destroyed hundreds of acres of Israeli farmer’s fields .
OLYMPICS
Israel won four medals in the latest Olympic games in Japan. Linoy Ashram,22, was the first Israeli woman to win a gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics, Israel's Artem Dolgopyat, 24, made history on Sunday when he clinched a gold medal in the floor exercise in men's artistic gymnastics. Avishag Semberg, 19, won a bronze medal in the Taekwondo competition. Israel’s mixed judo team also won a bronze medal.
From vaccines to missiles and Olympic medals, Israel has witnessed impressive achievements and dangerous attacks. Unless the rise in viruses in Israel is stemmed, Israel faces a very uncertain future.
