''Data we haven't seen': A grim forecast presented to Bennett • Israel is closing to the world

December 18, 2021   

Fifth wave: A grim professional assessment presented to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett raises the possibility of a significant outbreak in less than 3 weeks - perhaps even just 2 weeks. According to a report on Channel 12, the health system is still having difficulty determining the level of severe illness that the Omicron variant will bring, but it is clear that the peak of infections is expected to overtake the peak of the Delta wave. Bennett's main and immediate decision is to close the skies, and this morning (Sunday) he will bring a vote in the government to make several key countries 'red' - including: the US, Canada, Belgium, Portugal, Turkey, Germany, Hungary and Morocco. The list was formulated in agreement between Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, and for now they will be defined as red indefinitely. This means that Israelis will in fact not be able to fly to most countries in the world. This decision will take effect this coming Tuesday. On Friday, the government approved the declaration of Ireland, Norway, Spain, Finland, France, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates in a telephone referendum. Even earlier, Israelis were effectively banned from flying to dozens of countries around the world, mainly in Africa. It should be noted that the professional echelon in the Ministry of Health has not yet recommended declaring the US and the other countries on the list as red. However, it was Bennett who initiated the early closure of the skies as a preventive measure, against the background of data showing that travelers returning to Israel are a major source of entry for the Omicron strain. Prof. Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute: "There are still many things that are not known about Omicron, but right now the likely scenario is a significant wave of morbidity. What is happening in Europe is also seen here – doublings every two days. The question is what is the conversion ratio from confirmed to seriously ill Omicron patients. Currently, there is data that Omicron is less violent, but initial data from the UK contradicts this. Even if it is less violent, if the doubling is rapid then there will also be seriously ill patients." In his remarks, Prof. Segal also addressed the possibility of reimposing restrictions: "This is not the solution, but a means to buy us time. This time should be used to get vaccinated. The vaccination campaign is faltering to the point of being almost nonexistent. There are over a million who need to receive a booster, and we need to see hundreds of vaccine trucks making them available, and right now we don't see it." In light of the government's embarrassing failure to apply the green label to malls, the government is expected to approve tomorrow the application of a stricter purple label to malls, instead of the green label. This outline includes increased enforcement of wearing masks in malls. The government also intends to establish dozens of new vaccination points in large malls, in light of the failure of the children's vaccination campaign.