No decisions on further restrictions: The Corona cabinet was dispersed

In line with a previous decision to reach an average of 2,500 patients daily, the ministers met to decide whether to close all shops, street shops, markets and schools in red and orange cities (except kindergarten to fourth grade) and to reduce public transportation by 50 percent. .

Ben-David said he “does not believe that tight restraint will lead to results, but to closure. And those who will pay the price are the workers and the unemployed.” He said, “In a planned closure we can create effective conditions for vaccines. If I am asked, another date should be chosen for a general closure planned for three weeks that will lower the morbidity.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Projector Ash said that “the situation of the very difficult patients is very worrying, it is very disturbing to us. We went through the number of difficult patients that were in November.” He said there are currently 80-70 new serious patients compared to 20 at the beginning of the month.

According to Prof. Ash’s forecast, Without any further limitation – within three months the number of critically ill patients will stand at 1,900-1,340, and another 3,700-3,085 patients will die. In the event that a decision is made to “tighten restraint” for five weeks, he said, the number of serious patients will reach 800 and another 1,250 patients will die. If a full closure is decided for five weeks, the number of serious patients will reach 700 and another 1,100 patients will die.

Economy Minister Amir Peretz suggested that “if we now have three months to deal with the disease, let’s make a decision to leave the economy open with a strict purple mark until January 15 – then we will enter a full closure for three weeks. I said that two months ago and I repeat it now “.

Peretz referred to the alternative of “tightening restraint” and said that “this is abuse of populations, harm to the economy and the economy in Israel, creating a culture of unemployment and poverty.. It’s time for us to make a brave decision and I want to make a decision today. With all due respect to the proposals of the Ministry of Health, we need to manage risks and not close everything. It is enough to constantly place the burden on the same population. “

Science Minister Yizhar Shai said that “there is no need for tight restraint, we should continue with the current policy of information, differential closures on centers of illness, enforcement and fines. Do not close trade, do not close markets and shops, do not close anything that is open now.”

According to Minister Shai, “We must announce that the State of Israel will enter a full closure of three weeks when we reach, if we reach, a forecast of 1,500 patients. There is a good chance that we will not get there and that the number will start to fall. But if we get there, “In an orderly manner for all Israeli citizens, businesses, employees, everyone involved have the opportunity to organize and prepare accordingly. In any case, the education system should remain open, throughout the country, throughout the period, including on days when we are closed, if we get there.”

Education Minister Yoav Galant suggested at the meeting that all educational institutions remain open, even in red and orange cities – except for schools where there will be five or more patients.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein further clarified that “the difference between tight restraint and closure is education, and obviously we will have to go into tight restraint or closure. There will be trade harm, but it is money and it is not equivalent to education, so I prefer to leave education as open as possible.”

Minister Shai asked him in response: “Do you agree to a full closure in two or three weeks?”, And Edelstein replied that “by no means, will it cost human life. Must be immediate.”

Shai replied that he had meanwhile asked not to decide on restrictions and to point to a tight restraint for another two weeks, and Edelstein stated: “There is no such animal. It will not happen.”

Projector Ash intervened at this point in the hearing and said that “these are the numbers, you can argue”. Transport Minister Miri Regev replied that “we will have both a tight restraint and a closure,” and Minister Shai supported it: “You want us to vote for a tight restraint and then a closure.” The head of the public health services, Dr. Sharon Elrai Price, attacked Shai’s position: “It’s throwing sand in the eyes.”

At this point, Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bnei Gantz intervened: “I am listening to a conversation that lasts four to five hours. We need to balance health and the economy. .

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response to Ganz: “We see what is happening in Europe, so to continue as usual is the wrong decision. We need to go to another meeting to make decisions and vote.”

Prof. Ran Blitzer, a member of the Ministry of Health’s epidemic treatment team, said at the hearing that “postponing the proposal for two weeks has a price. It can be said that several hundred deaths is a legitimate decision and some will say no. I would choose to reduce economic damage.”

Cabinet members had earlier also discussed the national vaccination campaign. “The goal is to vaccinate 60% of the population by the end of the first quarter of 2021,” the director general of the Ministry of Health, Prof. Hezi Levy, told the ministers.Maybe a month after we are with herd immunity we will start to get back to routine, but with a mask“, He stressed.

The “green passport” program for those who get vaccinated was also presented. According to the outline, in the first phase the vaccinators will not be required to enter isolation if they come into contact with a verified virus, will not be required to enter isolation upon their return from abroad – not even from a red country, will not be required to take Corona test results. Green tourism. ”

During Levy’s explanations, Transportation Minister Miri Regev intervened and demanded that the bus drivers and employees of the Airports Authority be vaccinated. Minister Galant remarked to her: “This is not your dialogue with the system, let me hear,” while the prime minister said that these are relatively small numbers and suggested that Regev raise her requests through a committee.

Galant himself demanded that all staff in the education system be vaccinated immediately after medical staff, as teaching staff were given a certain priority in vaccines – but not supreme – even though children under 16 are not vaccinated at this stage. “The kindergarteners, teachers and educators are doing a holy work and are at the forefront of the struggle in Corona,” Galant said. “It is our duty to maintain their health and well-being and to vaccinate them immediately.”

Subsequently, the discourse focused on the additional unvaccinated populations, including lactating women, who have a history of severe allergic reactions and recover from coronary heart disease. Regarding pregnant women, Prof. Levy emphasized that this was discussed in the scientific community. “Maybe we’ll vaccinate them later,” he said.

Meanwhile, in light of the continuing rise in morbidity, the mall representatives called for a full closure instead of tight restraint. “Experience shows that any partial closure or tight restraint will not reduce morbidity and therefore only a full ten-day closure will lead to a drastic decrease,” said Shahar Turgeman, chairman of the Fashion, Commerce and Catering Association. Dragging to her. A partial closure will not be useful, so the economy and citizens must be allowed to prepare for a full closure with two weeks’ notice. “

In Tel Aviv, about 20 business owners gathered who burned tires and demonstrated against the intention to close the trade. “Last night, Operation Give a Shoulder began, calling on the public to get vaccinated, but what about Operation ‘Give a Shoulder’ to businesses that are going bankrupt because of the government’s intention to impose a third closure on trade?” ).

“Senior health officials themselves say there is no danger of the health system collapsing as a result of the virus, and that marches involving closure and movement restrictions should be avoided as much as possible. .

Cohen added that “entire industries are still closed, the street shops have just returned to work and have not received compensation from the previous closures, but this does not interest any of the decision-makers. I warn the Israeli Prime Minister and members of the government again: If the policy of non-participation of the business sector and the complete overthrow of the self-employed and businesses continue, the rage on the street and the crisis of trust with the business owners will only intensify. It will not pass in silence, it will not be possible to close the trade as a test of tools on people and their businesses. “