Israeli vaccine rejects fear of exclusion as economy reopens

His decisions affect all areas of life – from schools to work, and culture to worship.

Half of Israelis have gotten their first look at least, and the country began reopening its economy this week after a year of lockouts and remote work.

But a number of activities are considered limits to unvaccinated people, fishing those who cannot get the injection for health reasons, or refusing in principle.

Some employers are already planning to ban unvaccinated employees from the office, who are afraid of rights groups that would cost them their work. Unions have proposed work areas, such as COVID-19 tests every 72 hours.

“I’m already at peace with not being invited to special events or admission to entertainment fields,” said Hila Bar, a business owner who is skeptical of medical science and doesn’t plan to get vaccinated.

“So I won’t,” she said. “And I don’t support certain businesses anymore – not because I don’t want to, but they don’t want my business.”

Israel, where vaccine distribution is rapid but not mandatory, is a world leader in inoculations. Other countries are likely to examine their early experience to see how it addresses unanswered questions about balancing individual rights with public health responsibilities.

“Whoever does not get the vaccine will be left behind,” Health Minister Yuli Edelstein warned a few weeks ago.

Edelstein has made it clear that new benefits introduced for the vaccine – including access to theaters, gyms, and tourist destinations on the Dead Sea – are an incentive to to be vaccinated.

But some advocates and employers are concerned that the Knesset has not implemented new laws regulating the return of employees to offices or offering protections to the unvaccinated, saying it will employers design their own rules.

Early discussions on guidelines and legislation identify employers, authorities and courts raising public health concerns in advance of individual requests.

Intel’s Mobileye unit, in Jerusalem, says unvaccinated employees will not be allowed to come to the office as of April 4, but can work from home if their assignment allows.

The company estimates that around 10% of its 1,500 employees will not be vaccinated. If they have to come to the office, they must pass a negative PCR test within the 48 hours in advance.

“We have a responsibility to make our offices a safe place – the good of work and their families outweigh any other considerations,” Chief Executive Amnon Shashua wrote to staff in a post. d seen by Reuters.

A special study published Wednesday showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine used in Israel cut symbolic cases among Israeli recipients by 94%.

But some officials privately estimate that 10% of Israelis over 16 – about 650,000 people – do not expect to be vaccinated.

Even urging employees to share their vaccination status violates medical privacy rights, some advocates say, with potential ramifications for civil liberties. could be the final challenge in Israeli courts.

“The question is how do we open up the market, the economy, and life, without harming people who can’t or won’t get the vaccine,” said Sharon Abraham-Weiss, executive director Israel Civil Rights Association (ACRI).

“It is the vulnerable, the united, or temp [workers] or others who would carry the burden, “she said, calling for legislation.

Business leaders have also called for new laws. The Ministry of Health did not say when asked if legislation offering work protection for unvaccinated people was pulling it up.

Some major trade organizations have begun drafting policy guidelines for members, including the Israeli Manufacturers Association, which represents 1,800 companies employing nearly half a million employees.

Members of the group are not “running people down the street to stick syringes over their shoulders and force them to get vaccinated,” although they are doing everything they can to encourage it, said the president. of the group, Ron Tomer.

But according to a legal opinion commissioned by the agency and reviewed by Reuters, members can ask employees if they were getting the vaccine as a “safety measure” to prevent others from harming others. rather than as a request for personal medical information.

Employers should take reasonable steps to allow unvaccinated workers to work from home or in individual bubbles, but those who cannot can be placed on unpaid leave, or, as a last resort, to shoot, the idea says.

“If you don’t want to have the injection, it’s fine … the worker [has a right] to protect its privacy. But on the other hand are the rights of the public, the employers, the clients – the people we provide services to. [to], “said the author of the idea, prominent employment lawyer Nachum Feinberg.

Offering a possible approach, Israel’s largest labor union, Histadrut, has recommended that unvaccinated workers who cannot work at home give negative coronavirus tests to patients. their employment every 72 hours.

Israel on Sunday launched a “Green Pass” system giving special rights to citizens who have received both doses of the vaccine or who have recovered from COVID-19.

In one of his first daily bids, only those with a government-certified certification were allowed to attend a small outdoor concert in Tel Aviv this week.

ACRI has violated the legislation, arguing that it violates privacy rights.

The faculty of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem argued in a position paper that vaccine regulation is “a matter of public health, not a private medical issue.”

Existing Israeli laws give the Ministry of Health legal authority to impose restrictions on unvaccinated people, and even impose the vaccine in some cases, the position paper says.

“Those who perform their duty should not be asked to choose the cost vaccine of others without it,” said David Enoch, a professor of philosophy of law at the University of Hebrew.