An apparent exponential rise of newly confirmed coronavirus cases throughout the state of Israel is consequently boosting prospects of a change in Jerusalem’s policy vis-à-vis its efforts to combat the spread of the contagion. While Israeli authorities are making extensive efforts to balance the graph between a healthy public and a healthy economy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted – in opening remarks at Jerusalem’s weekly cabinet meeting – that the public’s evident complacent attitude in recent weeks may once again force a disinclined general-closure. “In recent days, there has been an increase in morbidity and with it a loosening of discipline. I do not know whether to say, “with it” or “because of it”. The data are still not clear. Yesterday, we confirmed around 28 new cases with relatively low testing, meaning that this is a bigger number. We are interested, of course, in increasing the number of tests; we have the capability. We must engage the public and also initiate these things. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that there is a relative increase vis-à-vis what we became accustomed to in recent weeks, which is to say that corona is not behind us. In order to determine whether or not there is a genuine change in the trend, we will consider – over the coming days –future steps and we will change our policy accordingly if need be,” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister said.
Despite his voiced concern over the rapid rise in the upward trend of newly infected Israelis, Premier Netanyahu instructed schools throughout the land to remain overwhelmingly open. He argued that despite numerous outbreaks in schools throughout the Jewish State – and Jerusalem in particular – the current morbidity rate does not justify shuttering all of the education system, which is a vital component in supporting the reopening of Israel’s economic sector. Nevertheless, Jerusalem’s alternate Premier and Defense Minister Benny Gantz emphasized the vital importance to adhere to a gradual reopening of the business sector coupled with strict enforcement. “We should not assume that the (corona) danger has passed, the opening (of the economic sector) should be gradual, cautious, the Prime Minister has instructed enforcement measures to accompany the business opening processes and that is a good thing. Eventually, a business that opens slowly and cautiously is better than a business that opens quickly and closes soon thereafter,” Benny Gantz, Israeli Alternate Premier and Defense Minister said.
In contrast to the somewhat diplomatic tone that was separately adopted by Netanyahu and Gantz; Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein underscored that unless the general public adheres to the three simple requirements of observing social distancing, wearing masks and maintaining personal hygiene – a general closure will be enforced. “What does it matter to a population of 9 million people, 40 or 50 or 100 (COVID19 cases)? it is all insignificant. It may be… But I suggest that we realize that it is not just a matter of how many tests we did that day. A week ago, in a stable and unrelated to the number of tests, we found that about half a percent of the subjects are positive for Corona. We are seeing a constant increase in this percentage; and yesterday, as the Prime Minister said here, 1,012 tests were done – obviously, it was Saturday, weekend – of which 28 were positive. It is not difficult to calculate that we had increased 5 times over. I sincerely hope that the public will cooperate with the tests,” “Citizens do not require to read all the small letters to comprehend all of the (government enacted) measures. However, the three points that we reiterate: Mask, Social Distancing and Hygiene, are not difficult to comprehend. It is also not difficult to understand that either we all comply, or that we all will face (a nation-wide) closure. I add, (a closure could be enacted) a lot faster than some of us think,” Yuli Edelstein, Israeli Health Minister said.
The Health Minister’s evident anger over the general public’s complacency, which TV7 can attest to, was voiced one day after his ministry’s Director General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov confessed that the current spike in the upward trend of newly confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel is indeed ‘a real negative change of direction’. “Unfortunately the disease is still here, we said that all along, the disease is still here and neither the heat-wave nor the humidity have made it disappear.” / “We see in recent days a significant rise in infection rates, it is both clear and significant. It is also spread over time and occurring in different parts of the county. We waited to see that these were not specific incidents, but a real change of direction, and sadly this is what we see. We also see a change in the rate of positive tests, out of the overall tests conducted each day – if we were around 0.5%, we went up to 1.5%, even though the number of daily tests has remained more or less the same,” Moshe Bar-Siman-Tov, Israeli Health Ministry Director General said.
In light of the negative trend, the Israeli Health Ministry has revised its policy on testing for the coronavirus. Effective immediately, asymptomatic people will also be tested for the contagion, based on the discretion of family doctors. Furthermore, Israelis who came into contact with anyone who experiences symptoms of fever, coughing and a loss of the senses of taste and smell, will also be tested. And in contrast to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s instructions, the Health Ministry has formulated a new policy in which any educational institution that has more than three diagnosed carriers of the corona contagion should be shutdown immediately.