Two years after the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, there is a need for a brave investigation and the learning of real lessons. Corona isn't the last pandemic that humanity is expected to cope with, and properly understanding what happened during the last two years is of great importance for coping with pandemics in the future.
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The characteristics of the virus were known as soon as it appeared (naturally or as a result of a laboratory accident): its properties, its transmission via aerosol and not only droplets, its low rate of death and the tremendous differences in seriousness according to age – a severe illness in old and sick people, a mild illness for the rest of the population. The significance of this is clear: the required actions are maximum protection for old people and strengthening the health system.
The State of Israel prepared for a pandemic, but in the last few years preparations were neglected, the Ministry of Health's Emergency Department atrophied, and awareness, which is the most important aspect for readiness, waned. The Ministry of Health was caught unawares, and the response reflected fear among decision-makers. The supposedly moderate measures taken against the pandemic were taken from the most extreme scenarios: full lockdown, restrictions on movement, and the closure of the education system. A state of emergency was declared, and until today emergency regulations are being used that harm basic freedoms.
There are severe health costs to placing restrictions on civilians: neglect of chronic illnesses, anxiety, depression, addiction, eating disorders, violence in the family and more. There's no need to expand on the economic and educational cost of the pandemic, but were the steps that were taken really necessary and effective in reducing morbidity and death? The scientific research does not suggest this was the case.
The main action taken during the second year of the pandemic was mass vaccination. Vaccination against RNA viruses does not effectively prevent infection, and the expectation that the vaccination would eradicate the virus and would lead to herd immunity was an illusion. What influences the waves of infection aren't restrictions but natural immunity that is acquired with infection and the variability of the respiratory virus. Therefore, even the Green Pass wasn't epidemiologically necessary, although the Corona vaccine has reduced the death rate.
Globally, there is no medical consensus regarding the correct approach to the virus. What is the impact of the absence of open professional dialogue and even the silence of professionals? What is the impact of the actual coercion of medical care, patronage that it took years to break free from, on the faith of patients in their doctors and in the system? What are the gloomy implications of the information given to the public for personal and national reliance, an ongoing show of intimidation that is not acceptable in managing emergency events?
And why weren't the exhausted medical teams strengthened, and instead millions of shekels were spent on worthless measures, like thousands of breathing devices and mass testing of people without symptoms of illness? Was it possible to prevent mass death among old people? Was there justification for closing schools and quarantining children, in the face of the terrible damage it caused them? Why are we instructing people to wear masks when it's known that they don't prevent aerosol infection?
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Is the Ministry of Health captured in a mistaken conception? Did the health system correctly define the purpose of the struggle? Health is defined as "a state of physical, mental and social welfare, and not just the absence of illness." Loneliness is an illness, unemployment is an illness. They are no less catastrophic illnesses than corona.
We need rehabilitation, which requires a change of consciousness from a state of emergency to broadening the perspective that characterized the management of the crisis. From a sober perspective, the real story of the coronavirus is completely different from that which has been presented to us by the government and the media. A brave clarification and inquiry are necessary in order to rehabilitate ourselves and to be ready for future challenges, otherwise, we are doomed to repeat the disastrous errors.
Dr. Yoav Yehezkelli is a lecturer in emergency and disaster management, one of the members of the "Public Emergency Council for the Covid-19 Crisis." He has served as deputy hospital director, district physician, district manager and HMO district director.
