With the flu season approaching fast, health funds across Israel have called on the public to get vaccinated against the influenza virus, especially given the burden the healthcare system already experiences due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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"We are entering winter amid the fourth [infection] wave with the highly contagious Delta variant," Bat Sheva Gottesman, an expert on infectious diseases at Clalit Health Services, said. "The daily number of verified cases is high, the economy is open, the education system resumed work as usual, as did the tourism industry – all of which are conditions that contribue to the spread of the flu."
Health funds began administering flu shots in the beginning of September. Just like last year, the flu inoculation campaign takes place at the same time as the coronavirus vaccine program, with extra focus on Israelis over the age of 65, those with chronic diseases, pregnant women and children under the age of 12.
"Getting vaccinated against the flu is more important this year than ever," Meuhedet Health Services said in a statement, encouraging members to get inoculated.
According to Health Ministry guidelines, a flu shot and a coronavirus vaccine can be administered at the same time, preferably in two different arms. It recommends getting inoculated against the flu annually as it is a virus that changes every year.
At the same time, the ministry reported that of the 69,776 Israelis it screened for the coronavirus on Saturday, 2,616 (3.96%) tested positive. The reproduction rate, which relates to the number of people each confirmed carrier infects, is 0.81.
There are currently 63,022 active cases in the country, with 1,026 Israelis hospitalized. Of those, 284 are in critical condition and 215 are on ventilators.
Israel has reported 1,263,896 cases, including 7,649 deaths, since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.
According to ministry data, 120,301 students and 3,367 education workers are currently in self-isolation. Of the students in quarantine, only 27.3% are vaccinated. Thus far, 6,086,218 Israelis have been fully inoculated, 5,611,442 received one vaccine shot and 3,189,477 got their third jabs as well.
In the meantime, an international study published this week has found that flu vaccines have the ability to curb coronavirus infections too, as well as prevent serious illness and hospitalizations.
The research was conducted by four scientists from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, examining the period of time before the start of coronavirus vaccine campaigns worldwide.
It studied the information provided by 75,000 digital medical files of patients from around the world, including the United States, Britain, Italy, Germany, Singapore and Israel. The study included two groups – patients who got infected with the coronavirus without a prior flu shot and patients who received their influenza shot half a year to two weeks before being diagnosed with COVID.
The study found that those who did not get vaccinated against the flu were 40% more likely to require hospitalization, and twice as likely to have a stroke or develop blood clots in veins and lungs as a result of getting infected.
The researchers concluded the paper by emphasizing the benefits of flu shots for nations that do not have access to coronavirus vaccines yet, or to populations that are not yet eligible for the inoculation. In Israel, that would be children under the age of 12.
Meanwhile, in a Zoom meeting that happened moments before Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took off for New York to address the United Nations General Assembly, he responded to criticism of mishandling the current wave of infections and demands for lockdown.
"Self-isolation, lockdowns and additional restrictions are the easy option, but not solution," he said. "Those present here should know better than anyone how much effort we invest every day to manage [the pandemic] better and save lives.
"I think about the patients, truly, every single person in the coronavirus ward causes heartache, but I also think about the economy, education, the parents who want to work and children who want to study."
Bennett called on the public to follow health guidelines, especially with regard to the reopening of the school year, the renewed "green pass" vaccine certificate and the inoculation efforts.
As per the latest ministry guidelines, Israelis who were inoculated with two vaccine doses more than half a year ago will need to receive a third kab in order to retain their green passes. The certificate allows one to enter hotels, restaurants and other entertainment venues.
Double-vaccinated Israelis who received their second shot less than half a year ago will maintain their certificates. Israelis who recovered from COVID in the last half a year can receive (or retain) their passes for six months after the date they were verified as carriers.
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