The head of the Ministry of Health on Sunday is urging Israel to tighten the current lockout as the country’s infection rate remained high just a week into the third shutdown of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are seeing the rate of the disease run smoothly and double itself. At the same time the number of patients in poor condition on the country’s coronavirus wards has doubled in less than 10 days,” said Levi to Ynet.
Police officers on Tel Aviv beach execute the third lockout in the country
(Photo: AFP)
The third nationwide Israeli lockout, which began on December 27, was expected to last for two weeks or until the daily infection rate fell below 1,000 and the number R fell (reflecting the number of people each infected person transmitting the virus) to less than 1.
On Saturday, Israel saw 3,977 new cases of the virus, as 75,000 tests showed an infection rate of 5.3%. Of the 1,228 patients currently hospitalized, 749 are in poor condition, and 177 of these are ventilated. The official death toll is now 3,391.
“We will certainly want the closure situation to be tightened. We will [this demand] to a vote by the government, “Levi said. This closure is not wide enough and people are not adhering to it. ”
The Director General of the Ministry of Health said Dr. Hezi levi
(Photo: Ido Erez)
“With pain closure that is a little tighter, it will reduce the level of infection to levels that we think are manageable,” Levi said. “At the same time, we will continue the vaccination campaign.”
Just like the previously closed lock that ended in mid-October, the public is restricted from traveling more than a kilometer from home or visiting other cities; all trade and entertainment venues are closed; Restaurants are not allowed to run a food delivery service and social gatherings are limited to 20 people in open spaces and 10 people indoors.
Unlike the previous two gray locks, however, schools have been open for all levels, with a slight discount in high-infected areas.
Levi also called for a debate on school closures for first to fourth grade, but said the most important issue was making the closure “tougher.”
Levi’s claim was raised by Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, whose office said Sunday it would take the proposal for a two-week tight lock to the government vote.
“As a result of the sharp and alarming rise in disease, the number of patients in poor condition and the detection of crushed weight, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein intends to commit the government to a complete closure for a short period of two weeks, “his office said.
Edelstein himself said Sunday: “Anything that is open-ended threatens closure. If we want something short and efficient, closure should be as complete as possible.”