Severe COVID-19 cases continue to grow in Israel and Naftali Bennett did not rule out strict lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic has rebounded in Israel in recent days and the number of critically ill patients already exceeded 600 on Thursday, in a context where the government of Naftali Bennett he wants to avoid at all costs a new confinement due to the economic forces that it would entail.

Israel reverted to January data last week. The Ministry of Health reported on Thursday 7,856 new positives, while 603 patients remain in serious condition, with 106 patients requiring assisted ventilation.

Israeli authorities have tightened measures against pandemic in recent weeks, for example by generalizing the “COVID passport” to access many places.

The Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged citizens to get vaccinated, warning Jewish state could face ‘destructive’ lockdown during peak holiday season, which begins with the New Years celebrations on September 6.

The executive does not hide that a new lockdown would lead to serious financial problems, insofar as he estimates that the above would have resulted in losses of about 200,000 million shekels (about 53,000 million euros).

“Containment is the last resort, only when all other options have been exhausted”warned the Prime Minister. This is why, he added, “we opted for the difficult, adopt dozens of socks “.

The government measures, which entered into force on Wednesday, require vaccination certificates or negative coronavirus tests to enter various public spaces, including restaurants and bars, cultural and sporting venues, hotels and gymnasiums.

The same applies to faithful who wish to enter synagogues, mosques or churches with more than 50 participants.

The capacity of stores, malls and industrial parks has also been limited to one person per seven square meters (75 square feet).

Israel was one of the fastest moving countries in the vaccination campaign, although it has stagnated and the 58 percent of the population has both doses.

Over the past few weeks, state started giving booster shots to Israelis aged 50 and over, while advocating the vaccination of children from the age of 12 years.

About one million Israelis have not been vaccinated, although they are eligible.

“Vaccines work”Bennett said, urging citizens to get vaccinated. “It is a scientific fact. They save lives “.

(With AFP and Europa Press information)

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