The fifth coronavirus wave is already here, even before the accelerated spread of the recently identified Omicron variant. The infection wave continues to increase, hundreds of new COVID cases are reported every day, there is a consistent increase in Omicron carriers and a rise in the reproduction rate.
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Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem warned Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Ministry officials on Friday that the fifth coronavirus wave has already begun and that the increase in infections is tangible, and for the first time, the virus is spreading across all sectors and age groups. Other nations, including Germany, Russia, Denmark, and Norway, are already experiencing serious, dangerous, and deadly outbreaks.
According to data from Britain, the country has 60,000 new cases every day, and that the Omicron infection rate doubles every 2-3 days. Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a national emergency plan that includes work from home and warned about the danger of the new strain. Health officials warned that unless the government took serious measures, Britain could see tens of thousands of COVID deaths this winter.
In South Africa, the Health Ministry reported an increase in the hospitalization of children and warned that those under the age of 1 were at a higher risk of getting infected and developing serious illness
What is encouraging, however, is that Britain reported that Pfizer's booster shot was effective against Omicron as well. This was also confirmed by Israel's Sheba Medical Center.
We know from previous infection waves that vaccines are the most potent way to protect ourselves and our country as a whole. A such, it is also the most effective means in preventing a fifth infection outbreak, a sharp increase in severe illness, hospitalization, and death. And yet, 600,000 Israelis have not gotten vaccinated at all, 1.2 million did not receive their booster shots and 900,000 parents did not bring their 5-11-year-old children to be inoculated.
On Friday, Bennett spoke with the directors of four major health funds, and asked them to step up the national vaccination efforts, and stressed that he expected "them to act with all the tools at their disposal to meet the immunization goals."
However, passionate speeches and statements are not enough. Bennett and the Health Ministry must act more decisively in order to increase the nation's immunity against COVID. Starting with a mass vaccination campaign in each and every one of the schools – rather than the partial, hesitant, and cowardly vaccination efforts in a mobile inoculation site outside the school – even if it has to be forced on Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton.
We need an urgent, serious, and budgeted plan to encourage inoculation and significant restrictions on unvaccinated Israelis. The Health Ministry and health funds have until now invested serious efforts to boost vaccination, but they work slowly, insufficiently, and hesitantly in the face of a dangerous outbreak. As a result, 3 million Israelis remain unvaccinated or only partially immunized.
Such a failure on behalf of the Health Ministry and the HMOs could cost lives. Bennett must immediately launch an emergency plan for an accelerated immunization campaign, as it should be done in times of war on health. It is time for the Health Ministry in the HMOs to achieve results, and not just empty slogans.
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