Elkin: Mandatory vaccination? "We are not a fascist country that catches people on the street""

December 27, 2021   

Coronavirus Cabinet member Zeev Elkin addressed claims this morning (Monday) that the government is not adequately dealing with the spread of the Omicron strain in Israel. The spread of Omicron is causing great concern in the health system, which predicts that in about a month there will be about a million patients with the virus in the country. Therefore, the government is imposing restrictions on trade and the education system in order to reduce contact and curb the expected outbreak. Despite this, it seems that the guidelines are not being enforced on the ground and the world is doing as usual. "Our situation is much better than other countries," Elkin said in an interview with 103FM. "Until we reach a situation where the incidence is at the same percentage as abroad, we will continue with the policy of closing the skies to the relevant countries. It may be that in two or three weeks this will be irrelevant. "Corona is not a religion or an ideology, it's mathematics. As soon as the percentage of those infected with us is the same as in countries that are closed, there is no point in closing - because it is the same chance of getting infected. As long as the percentage of those infected with us is lower, it is not right to open because it will increase the pace." He added: "There was not a single decision that was canceled, there were ideas that were published as big headlines and after discussion, a different proposal is brought forward. This is legitimate. What was brought to the cabinet - was decided almost unanimously. I expect the system not to say amen to every proposal that someone puts forward, even if it is the prime minister. That senior ministers, before bringing it to the cabinet on Corona, will consider and come to a conclusion about what is more correct." Minister Elkin stated that the solution to curbing the wave of morbidity is the vaccine. "Only if 3 million Israelis increase their vaccination level can we get out of the wave." He noted that there will be no mandatory vaccination: "We cannot replace the citizen in his decision to protect his life. We are not a fascist state, which will catch people on the street and force them to get vaccinated. You cannot force a person to protect himself." According to him, "The experts say that the vast majority of restrictions, the contribution to reducing morbidity is minor and the economic cost is high, so what do you gain? We protect citizens, so we are operating a green card in which we say that whoever is vaccinated - has no restrictions, he walks around with the card. Whoever is not vaccinated, in order to receive a green card, will have to be tested at any moment for a fee, and he lives under restrictions." The minister addressed the issue of compensation for industries affected by the Corona restrictions imposed by the government: "Finance ministers for generations are not in a hurry to put their hands in their pockets, but everyone understands that people who are affected by the restrictions need to be compensated. It is clear that the tourism and aviation industries need to be compensated, and they are working on the outline. Other industries are not currently restricted. A green card is not a restriction.".