Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Sunday that the health ministry has approved the distribution of a fourth coronavirus vaccine dose to Israelis over the age of 60, as well as medical workers who have been at least since receiving their booster shot. Four months have passed.
The premier made the announcement during a primetime press conference, amid growing concern over the government’s handling of the ongoing omicron wave, which has seen very long lines at testing centers across the country.
Bennett used the occasion to justify his government’s decisions so far, including an early shutdown of the skies in late November.
“We are the first in the world” [with the] Booster shots and that policy have well protected Israel’s citizens,” said Premier, adding that Israel’s death rate was among the lowest in the world – 50 times lower than that of the UK, 100 times lower than that of Germany and the United States. 130 times less in comparison. State.
He argued that the economy was still functioning well while the government was taking steps to protect the most vulnerable.
Israel is currently seeing more than 5,000 new cases a day, possibly reaching 20,000 new daily cases by the end of the week, and could hit 50,000 daily cases at the height of the wave, Bennett warned, adding that the peak The only effective antidote for this was the vaccine.
A drive through the COVID testing complex in Ma’ale Adumim on December 30, 2021. (Yontan Sindel / Flash 90)
“Here’s what we need you to do: get vaccinated; get promoted; get kids vaccinated,” he said.
Bennett encouraged Israelis to wear masks in crowded places, especially indoors, and for the elderly population to avoid crowding altogether.
“Vaccination protects you from serious illness … and from quarantine,” he said, acknowledging the large number of Israelis who have been forced to isolate because of exposure to COVID carriers.
In an effort to address the problem of the thousands of Israelis who have been forced into quarantine, Bennett announced that all vaccinated Israelis over the age of 5 – once they have received a negative COVID test – will be They are not required to isolate if exposed to a COVID. the carrier.
The premier suggested that long lines at testing centers were an unavoidable reality of the current wave that countries around the world are facing and that there were not enough resources to deal with such a large number of active cases. However, he indicated that the government would weigh the changing testing requirements in the coming days.
Separately on Sunday evening, Magen David Adom Emergency Service announced it would expand its hours at testing sites, expand the number of medical staff at the centers and add new testing stations across the country.
“Be patient,” said Bennett. “We know there are lines at the testing centres… we are preparing to change the testing criteria to reduce the crowd.”
A health worker takes swab samples from Israelis at a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in Jerusalem on January 2, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi / Flash 90)
According to Channel 12, one of the options being considered would be that testing would not require Israelis to have been exposed to a COVID carrier as long as they are not experiencing symptoms.
When a reporter accused Bennett’s government of overturning in its response to the pandemic, the premier replied, “We could have imposed the same lockdown as the previous government,” with all the dire economic consequences that accompany such a move. Would have brought This.
In comments likely to appease foreigners abroad, Bennett said travel restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the Omicron version of the coronavirus would be lifted soon.
“I closed the skies five weeks ago when everything was fine, and in the coming week, it is likely that we will reopen the skies,” he said.
Bennett acknowledged that such a move may seem counterintuitive, but he explained that when there are fewer active infections, the spread of the virus from abroad has a much more significant impact on morbidity in the country. However, while Israel already has tens of thousands of cases, another 50 infections from travelers coming from abroad are “meaningless”.
Earlier on Sunday, the ministerial forum guiding the government’s COVID-19 response approved the grant of a temporary green pass to anyone who gets a vaccine shot.
The provisional certificate will be valid for 30 days after someone receives the first vaccine dose and will allow entry to all venues and events that require proof of vaccination.
The passes will be issued from January 6.