What experts say about the epidemic in Israel, the most vaccinated country in the world against COVID-19

As global health authorities watch with concern the spread of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, particularly in the UK, Israel had to re-enforce the use of chin straps in two cities near Tel Aviv after outbreaks in two schools.

As a prelude to the restrictions which have been extended among the British, at least until July 19, a week after the lifting of the obligation to wear masks or chin straps, The appearance of two coronavirus clusters in the cities of Binyamina, south of Haifa, and Modiin-Makkabim-Reut (between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem), has put the government on alert.

The restrictions could return after two outbreaks of coronavirus contamination were confirmed at two educational institutions and the issue sparked immediate debate.

After more than a year of COVID-19 it is easy to fear the discovery of new cases of new contamination. However, health experts in the country, in statements to the Israeli press, explained that these brief increases are “Fully expected” Yes “Now is not the time to raise the red flag”

These appearances occur, moreover, despite the fact that the country has an adult population that is almost entirely vaccinated. Faced with these “mini cabbages” The government order has been to resume the use of mandatory chin straps indoors and outdoors, in some areas, an announcement made by the health ministry on Sunday. For the moment, the return to this health measure will be imposed on Binyamina and Modiin-Makkabim-Reut.

Such a ruling anticipates some concern that the more virulent “Delta” variant, formerly known as the Indian variant, may be the cause of at least some of the confirmed cases.

The outbreaks were detected in schools. In Binyamina, 45 students tested positive for Covid-19 and around fifteen new cases were identified in Modiin. Of those infected, up to a third have been vaccinated, according to Cyrille Cohen, head of the immunotherapy laboratory at Bar-Ilan University.

“These latest shootings tell us that this is how the future will be”

Modiin mayor Haim Bibas urged school principals and teachers to enforce the order to wear masks and parents to avoid entering schools. “We must do everything to avoid a new epidemic,” insisted the official on Twitter.

Israel began to vaccinate adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 in early June and hopes to end the pandemic with this. However, for Professor Eyal Leshem, director of the Center for Travel Medicine and Tropical Diseases at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, these latest epidemics “tell us that this is how the future will be”.

“People who are not vaccinated can be infected and people who are fully vaccinated can be infected, but they will be protected from serious illnesses.”added the expert.

Fearing a resumption of the epidemic, the Israeli authorities could decide in the coming days to introduce certain restrictions for unvaccinated people returning from abroad, as well as for those arriving from countries “at high risk”. Even for travel within the country.

“As we travel inside and outside Israel, we will have epidemics among people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, and mainly among students,” the experts said.

For health authorities, with more than 90% of Israelis over 50 vaccinated, “these epidemics do not represent a risk to public health.” But these cases reflect that “living with the virus will be a constant”.

According to Cyrille Cohen, from the University of Bar-Ilan, with these data “The country should consider taking additional measures to protect Israel from a new wave of coronavirus. “

“Living with the virus will be a constant”

“We have to be much stricter at the border,” Cohen told the newspaper. Jerusalem post He added that travelers entering Israel must not only take a PCR test, the results of which are provided within 24 hours, but also a rapid test to try to detect anyone who may be vaccinated but who are carriers of the virus.

“People can infect others while waiting for the response from the PCR test,” he said. “Rapid tests can filter 80 to 90% of cases. “

The Ministry of Health assesses the modification of the recommendation concerning the vaccination of children between 12 and 15 years oldsaid a spokesperson for coronavirus coordinator Professor Nachman Ash. “We can move on to a stronger recommendation for children,” he confirmed.

In this sense, the Israeli Ministry of Health has urged adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

In a statement, the Health portfolio clarified that “Given the expected increase in travel abroad, and the lifting of mask measures”, and for “It is strongly recommended to take all possible measures to maintain a normal daily life to be vaccinated in order to be protected against the variants that we know of.”

In order to immunize as many of the population as possible, including children and adolescents, Israel’s health ministry said vaccines donated to Palestine will be used to continue the process of vaccinating younger people, after the doses were rejected by the Palestinian Authority amid accusations they were about to be released. expire.

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