Coronavirus chief Professor Nachman Ash called the current state of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel "worrying" in an interview with the Kan state broadcaster on Wednesday.
"There is a troubling spike in morbidity, over 500 people in serious condition in hospitals. This requires an immediate lockdown. I hope the public understands that it's important, and we all hope it will be the last," he said.
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Although there has been much talk that vaccinations are the "light at the end of the tunnel" of the pandemic, Ash cautioned inoculation "doesn't mean we can remove our masks because we aren't yet sure the vaccine prevents infection. In the meantime, it's just for disease prevention."
As for Israel's vaccination campaign, Ash said he believed "around 20%, which is at least the high-risk population, will be vaccinated in March so that we can behave differently."
According to Health Ministry data released Wednesday, Israel confirmed 3,753 new cases of the virus on Tuesday, for an infection rate of 4.1%. There are currently 28,165 active cases, 499 of which are serious. Of those in serious condition, 116 are on ventilators. The national reproduction rate is 1.25. In the Haredi sector, the rate is 1.07, and in the Arab sector, it is 1.78.
Some 45,000 daily vaccinations have been administered for a total of around 75,000 vaccinations since the campaign to inoculate the Israeli public kicked off, Sunday, according to the Health Ministry. There are now 91 vaccination stations across the country.
Also on Wednesday, the Military Intelligence Directorate published its latest reports on the spread of the virus. The report's authors warn that without further restrictions, and given the current infection rate, Israel would see over 10,000 new infections every day by mid-January.
According to the report, the number of average weekly infections is also on the rise. The past three weeks have also seen an increase in the number of people in serious condition.
Health Ministry Deputy Director Professor Hezi Levy also spoke of a need for a third lockdown in an interview with Army Radio.
"We need to enter a lockdown soon, in light of the growing morbidity and out of a desire to stop it. We are reaching morbidity levels reminiscent of the beginning of the second wave [of the pandemic]," he said.
As for the restrictions that are on the table, Levy said, "We will demand closure of the education system. I'm inclined to recommend leaving preschools open."
As for shopping malls, open-air markets, and street shops, he said, "We will ask to shut down commerce and return to a closure like the one [in place] on Yom Kippur."
The government was set to discuss the Health Ministry's recommendation the country enter a full lockdown at 2:30 p.m. However, some ministers were expected to demand preschools and elementary schools remain open.
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