Ministry of Health officials believe the morbidity of the virus in the third wave that sweeps across the country has peaked and is expected to decline, and are assessing the loosening of current blocking restrictions, according to a television report on Wednesday.
Thursday will mark a week since Israel entered a restricted blockade that is scheduled to last until January 21, although officials have repeatedly said the rules are likely to extend beyond that date.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Ministry of Health officials on Thursday to discuss the extent of the restrictions. Some health officials support loosening the rules if there is a reduction in the number of serious cases, reported Canal 12 News.
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Netanyahu’s discussions on Thursday will also include conversations about so-called “green passports”, which will grant some benefits to Israelis who received their second dose of vaccine.
Channel 13 News reported on Wednesday the Ministry of Health guidelines to facilitate blocking: In the first phase, kindergartens and classes 1-4 and 11-12 will partially reopen, as will street stores, he said. the report. In the second stage, grades 5 through 10 will resume their studies and holders of “green passports” will have certain freedoms, such as permission to participate in cultural events. In the third phase, restaurants and cafes will be reopened.
Hadassah Medical Center staff members receive the second round of the COVID-19 vaccine at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, January 11, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel / Flash90)
Israel’s morbidity remains high, with a record 9,665 new infections on Monday and 9,226 cases on Tuesday. Another 4,795 cases of viruses were diagnosed on Wednesday afternoon, bringing the number of active infections to 77,650, the Ministry of Health reported.
The death toll is 3,803 and 1,094 critically ill patients.
According to the ministry, 9,226 cases were diagnosed on Tuesday and 7.3% of tests were positive.
The high rate of infection occurs while Israel’s world-leading vaccination program slows down.
Only 100,000 people received the first dose of the vaccine this week, according to Channel 13. Ministry of Health officials pledged to maintain a daily vaccination rate of more than 200,000. Health providers said the ministry was not giving enough vaccines and cited logistical problems in administering the vaccines, Channel 13 said.
Israel has seen a shortage of vaccines in the past few days, but Pfizer has increased deliveries once again and is expected to send hundreds of thousands of doses a week to the country. Half a million more vaccines are expected to arrive in Israel early next week.
The Health Ministry said on Wednesday afternoon that 24,421 Israelis had been vaccinated since midnight, bringing the total to more than 1.9 million. More than 85,000 Israelis received their second dose of the vaccine.
More than 21% of Israelis received the first dose of the vaccine and about 1% received the second dose. In Jerusalem, 10.5% were shot and in Tel Aviv, 19.7%.
The hospital team transports a new patient to the coronavirus ward of the Ziv medical center in the city of Tzfat, in northern Israel, January 7, 2020. (David Cohen / Flash90)
Increasing the urgency of the vaccination campaign is the emergence of new strains of the virus.
The Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday that four more cases of the South African coronavirus variant were found in Israel, bringing the total number of cases to eight. One of the cases was of a 9-year-old girl, raising fears that the variant might have circulated at her school before the blockade took effect.
The strain is believed to be more infectious, although not more lethal. Some doubts have been raised about the vaccine’s effectiveness in protecting recipients of this variant.
The British variant of the virus, also considered to be more contagious, was found in Israel and officials said it was widespread in the population.
Ministry of Health officials are also concerned about a new variant of the virus from Brazil and are considering forcing quarantine arrivals from Brazil at designated hotels. All international arrivals must be quarantined, but most are isolated at home. The Brazilian variant was found in travelers to Japan.
The Israeli Defense Forces recorded 1,506 cases of active viruses in the armed forces on Wednesday, the highest number since the pandemic began.
All infected troops are showing mild symptoms. Another 12,339 are in quarantine, the military said.