Although the number of confirmed COVID cases in Israel has dropped over the course of the second lockdown, a Health Ministry team charged with outreach to the insular Haredi community reported on Tuesday that over 50% of COVID patients age 65 and over hail from the Haredi sector.
Health official believe that most of the elderly Haredi patients contracted the virus at public prayers during the High Holidays.
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The new data revealed Tuesday is somewhat startling, as Haredim comprise approximately 12% of the general population, and only a small percentage of the population age 65 and over.
The report, which was published in Haredi media outlets, tells members of that population: "They are the ones that devoted themselves to us all their lives! They are the ones who were there for us day and night, taught us, brought us up, gave to us and worried about us. They are our mothers and fathers! Let's try to follow the [public health] regulations, for us and for them."
The Haredi outreach team said, "the figure we reported makes it clear that despite the prevailing sense that the elderly are kept safe, and that the young people take care of themselves because they are afraid of infecting elderly family members, the numbers speak for themselves and should be especially worrying to our public."
For the first time, the Haredi team has adopted a slogan: "Haredim follow the rules. We uphold the sanctity of life." The new slogan is intended to emphasize that despite the erroneous impression given by some media outlets, most of the Haredi public adheres to the rules.
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