The coronavirus pandemic continues to deceive. We are all tired of the coronavirus, and yet we still need to take a deep breath ahead of the coming weeks, not out of a sense of panic but to ensure we remain alert and conduct ourselves appropriately in this new situation.

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We should also keep in mind just how much things have improved since last December: The vaccines changed the situation dramatically, new medicines entered the scene, and we are better able to test for the virus including through the use of rapid testing. Special programs have also been put in place to protect senior citizens and children in school.

On the other hand, it is clear to all that despite the importance of the vaccines, they are not a miracle cure: The world failed in the equitable supply of vaccines among and even within different countries, which led to, among other things, differences in morbidity levels and death rates and provided fertile ground for variants to develop. Immunity diminishes over time, and the world often responds to vaccines with skepticism, skepticism that is motivated by both fake news and dangerous partisanship that undermines social cohesion.

The vaccines won't solve the psychological, social, and economic problems, but it must be clearly said: They are an impressive and unprecedented achievement, and we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater: With all of the criticism over vaccine access and global conduct, including by the pharmaceutical companies themselves, the vaccines are a safe tool with side effects that usually pass. The disease is more dangerous than the vaccine, including in children. Ensuring greater access to vaccines, together with incentives and partnerships with civil society, are the best solution. Scare tactics, unwise use of the green pass program, and various sanctions – none of these will lead to increased vaccination rates.

We must demonstrate to the public that we are now in a new era. This is a confusing time that on one hand demands a very similar response to the one we have grown familiar with: We must continue to wear masks, in particular in closed spaces, and avoid unnecessary gatherings, protect the at-risk population, keep sick children home from school, and not go to work sick.

On the other hand, the Omicron variant, which is around four times more contagious than the Delta and is already widespread in Israel, demands a paradigm shift: The damage caused by the continued widespread quarantine of those exposed to confirmed carriers far outweighs the benefits. As a result, quarantine conditions have changed. From now on, the emphasis should be on quarantining virus carriers, in the same way that there is no longer any benefit to closing the skies to Israelis.

Ahead of the new year, it must be emphasized: Changes to quarantine policy following exposure to a confirmed coronavirus carrier does not mean the pandemic is over. The reproduction rate is charging ahead, and as a result, we must avoid unnecessary gatherings. We must take extra care when it comes to those who are high-risk. A simple example is the potential threat posed by those who work with the elderly and return to work after attending a New Year's Eve party. A comprehensive plan must be drawn up to contend with such scenarios, and those individuals must be tested for the virus before returning to work.

In conclusion, we must remember that it is our responsibility to contend with the pandemic in a comprehensive manner: This is not just the job of the health system but of all government ministries and requires the Finance Ministry to reach into its pockets to provide financial support at this complicated time. We are continuing to learn how to live alongside the coronavirus, and adapt to the threat it presents in a proportionate manner, with an outlook that takes into account not only the number of coronavirus cases but also addresses the long-term mental, social, and economic impacts of the disease.

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We are facing a new wave of coronavirus. The spread of the Omicron variant in Israel and the world is worrying, and demands that the public adapt its behavior and make the appropriate preparations. It's already clear that the new variant is more contagious and spreading faster.

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In a number of other countries, Omicron is spreading at a dizzying rate, effectively supplanting the Delta variant. Although the contagious nature of the new variant is already established, it's too early to predict the numbers. We can hope for the best, but should prepare for the worst. The rate of reproduction (R) in Israel continues to rise, and most of the new cases are still the Delta strain.

The decision to close Israel's skies to travelers from countries designated "red" and to non-Israeli citizens was a rapid step taken after the lesson learned from the slow, passive response to the arrival of the Delta variant in Israel back in April. This step bought us time that we should take advantage of, first and foremost to step up the rate of vaccination. The vaccine is safe and effective, and there is enough information about it from Israel and elsewhere in the world. The vaccine should be administered in a manner that offers the maximum flexibility and meets' recipients' needs.

In my opinion, we should have started vaccinating children in schools long ago, and not only through the use of mobile vaccination units. Israel has been administering vaccines at schools since the state was founded, and now we see the heavy consequences of the privatization of health services for public school students, which has been notable since the coronavirus pandemic first hit Israel and before we had vaccines. Schools are one of the most important sites at which to promote public health, with attention to the physical, mental, and social aspects of it.

It's important to emphasize that even if the vaccines proves somewhat less effective against the Omicron variant, they are still of crucial importance. To the best of our knowledge, everyone who has been vaccinated as recommended (including a booster shot if the second dose was received five months ago or more), is protected for developing a serious case of COVID-19 that would require hospitalization or could even be fatal.

But now it's time not only for vaccines, but also to strengthen the exhausted public healthcare system. COVID is taking its toll, and we must allocated the resources and personnel that were promised to both hospitals and community clinics. We must make healthcare a top national priority and realize that there's a lot we can do to combat COVID.

It's important to remember that to protect the public's health, we must build resilience and trust, encourage vaccination, strengthen the healthcare system, and uphold responsible behavior as individuals, communities, and as a country. Even in challenging times, we need to stay calm and act precisely and proportionately, while continuing our normal routines as much as possible.

In the complicated time in which we are living, there's no point in strong-arm moved that are either ineffective or unfeasible. The way to promote responsible public health conduct and public compliance with government recommendations is through consistency, a clear strategy, and the government cooperating with the public.

We're all tired of COVID, but it's staying with us and we have plenty of tools to handle it. We have to do so wisely – this is a marathon, not a sprint, and it demands partnership and solidarity.

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Israel is entering a new stage of the pandemic: learning to live alongside the coronavirus. Not from a place of complacency, but proactiveness. We have plenty of things to do now, like stepping up our efforts to vaccinate our children. My youngest son, 14 years old, received his second dose a week ago. Enough research has been done by now to prove that the vaccine is effective and safe.

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We also need to continue wearing masks indoors, in crowded areas and lead our lives using common sense, even following guidelines that the government has not yet imposed. For instance, for those who do not absolutely have to travel abroad this summer, there are plenty of vacation options in Israel.

Furthermore, we, the health professionals, must turn to the public and explain that the coronavirus is here to stay. It will not disappear but will become another respiratory virus that requires immunization. And that is what makes the current outbreak of infections different than all that came before. This time we have a vaccine.

Keep in mind that the Delta variant, the culprit behind the current infection spike, is more contagious than any other strain detected in the past. It was brought into Israel sometime in April, and four months later, it accounts for more than 90% of new cases. And yet, the mortality level remains low, giving the healthcare system more leeway to take measures to curb the morbidity rate. And although the healthcare system seems to be doing well, it does not mean that we can allow ourselves to become complacent.

Getting vaccinated and following guidelines, including those that pertain to traveling abroad, can prevent new cases of illness, hospitalization, and even death.

It was wise of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to appoint Maj. Gen. (res.) Roni Numa to oversee the implementation of new coronavirus measures for those entering Israel.

While Israel has adopted international health standards in 2007, implementation has been lacking because of red tape among various government agencies. The social and economic gaps won't just magically disappear with the vaccines, and we must also address the many shortcomings in our healthcare system.

If we do well on all levels – personal and national – we will be much more successful in curbing the pandemic and improve all areas that need improving, and be prepared for the future of the "new normal."

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Where do we go from here? Our situation is misleading. Although significantly lower than previous highs, at a few thousand a day, the number of new infections remains high. The reproduction rate is nearing 1, although it has declined in recent days. Although lower than the 1,200 seriously ill cases we saw at the height of the outbreak, around 700 people are seriously ill in Israel, with a few dozen such cases being added to the list daily. The infection rate, which was once above 10%, is now hovering around 4%.

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The pandemic is obviously changing its behavior. The most important factor right now is the number of people getting vaccinated. Three months after Israel kicked off its vaccination campaign, over half of Israel's population has received at least one dose of Pfizer's vaccine. Many more continue to get the jab.

The implementation of the green-pass program for those who have either recovered from the virus or received both doses of the vaccine, together with high vaccination rates among high-risk Israelis, has allowed us to take certain risks. In public health, risk management means we need to manage the risks in a way that is infinitely better than having the risks manage us. Indeed, the high vaccination rate, a badge of honor for the Israeli healthcare system and the Israeli public in general, has allowed us to arrive at this "new normal" we have heard so much about, only this time in a safer manner.

The data now shows us that despite the poor conduct by many Israelis over the Purim holiday, the outbreak is relatively stable. While new daily infections are relatively high, the average age of those infected has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic, which has afforded us this change in conduct. Yet we mustn't rest on our laurels. We must continue to vaccinate. Around 250,000 Israelis aged 50 and over and around 750,000 Israelis between the ages of 16 and 50 have yet to get the jab.

The vaccination rate among Arab Israelis is now at far more satisfactory levels, and we should give credit where credit is due: the Health Ministry, the healthcare providers, Magen David Adom, and no less importantly, local authorities and civil society. Nevertheless, the freeze on the transfer of data on the unvaccinated from healthcare providers to local authorities is a welcome move. Like workplaces, local authorities can encourage vaccination, but we mustn't head down the kind of slippery slope that will harm public trust; In this case, the ends do not just justify the means.

The vaccines, however, won't solve everything. We must expand the "Education Shield" program for routine coronavirus testing in schools across Israel and we must make use of the rapid tests finally authorized for use by the Health Ministry. Government authorities should decentralize the management of rapid testing and make such tests available at reasonable and regulated prices. There must be accountability, and despite the wonderful sense of a return to our normal lives, we must not congregate and whatever can be done outside should be so that it poses less risk to our health.

We must continue to wear masks and contemplate whether we need them when we are outside and among the fully vaccinated. We must examine quarantine policies in as differential a manner as possible. We must not enter a fourth lockdown, which would be catastrophic and harm public trust. We have all the tools available to avoid it and to safely celebrate the upcoming Passover holiday as long as we adhere to coronavirus guidelines. It's up to the government bodies, but it's also up to the various communities across Israel. Once again, we call on you to get vaccinated. Vaccination is an act of solidarity, and it saves lives.

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The coronavirus crisis is holding up a mirror that shows us the inherent problems of health care systems in Israel and around the world. This crisis is one of many, and likely not the biggest, we with which we will be confronted. Global climate change is causing a number of phenomena that range from natural disasters to climate refugees to destabilized regimes.

The conditions that led to the outbreak of coronavirus, as well as other illnesses in the past few decades, are strongly linked to the deep-seated ecological changes taking place all over the world, and the health challenge isn't the only one we will face in the future. Meanwhile, the health care system in Israel and elsewhere went into the COVID crisis already in state of long-term, ongoing crisis. This was the result of years of under-investment in infrastructure and personnel in public health systems, as well as constantly rising costs of medical technology and the pharmaceutical industry that is creating less innovation and more profits for shareholders.

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I am lumping things together – the progress on developing vaccines, including Pfizer's announcement about the higher-than-expected efficacy of its COVID vaccine, as well as reports of mutations – including news from Denmark that it would be culling some 16 million minks being raised on 1,100 farms to stop the spread of a mutated version of COVID that can infect humans.

The obvious link between the news about progress on a vaccine and the mink mutation is the fear that a mutation of the virus could make potential vaccines less effective, but in my view, the link is much deeper and has to do with issues of economics, priorities, and sustainability.

The news about various vaccine contenders, that are moving ahead through various stages of clinical trials, is wonderful. In human history, we have never developed vaccines so quickly. But in my opinion, this is a narrow view of things: the World Health Organization and other international bodies have effectively failed to develop a vaccine plan that would adopt a global view and emphasize cooperation in comparing different vaccines in a more efficient manner, saving time and resources and ensuring that it could be mass-produced cooperatively all over the world.

That is one of the key roles of the WHO – to organize operations to stop the spread of pandemics. The WHO did direct the successful global campaign to eradicate the bubonic plague, and is now overseeing the attempt to eradicate polio. But instead, the process of developing vaccines has turned into a competition in the worst sense of the word, which will result in many countries – including Israel – not receiving it on time. According to the RAND Corporation, this lack of cooperation will mean that many countries will receive the vaccine only after lengthy delays, which would cost the world over a trillion dollars in losses. Until a few decades ago, many countries had institutes that could create vaccines in emergencies, whereas today the process is more complicated and must be re-imagined to make it more sustainable.

Similarly, the culling of minks in Denmark demands that we rethink sustainability and the ties between humans and animals. The painful mass destruction of the minks demonstrates the problematic nature of the fur industry. Animals being kept in crowded, filthy conditions is fertile ground for outbreaks of disease such as the bird flu. In effect, COVID reached us because of contact between animals and humans. If we do not make far-reaching changes to the food industry and our relationship with animals, it's only a question of time before we see different mutations that will cause the virus to spread.

COVID holds up a mirror, forcing us to look at inherent aspects of existing economies. These are only two examples, and there are many more. Will we make changes? It's in our hands – change won't happen on its own.

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On the other hand, talking about politics in the narrow sense of parties or constituencies hurts public health.

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About a month ago, I wrote a column about how the social fabric is being destabilized and the effect on the public's willingness to follow public health directives, and the risk posed when the government makes decisions without transparency. Happily, since Professor Ronni Gamzu was appointed Israel's "corona czar," he has been working day and night to promote a complex, professional plan, and most of all, to loop people in. He has been out in the field, working to connect the various pieces of the puzzle, consulting and building the systems needed to address the complicated situation.

But very quickly it turned out that politicization of the decision-making process was interfering. We saw this in the weeks-long delay in approving the traffic light plan, in the debate about allowing Hassidim to fly to Uman, and in the decision to start the school year.

The common use of the term "functionaries" tries to dismiss their role. Public health official, as well as other experts in the field of public health, are not "functionaries." They are devoted public servants, experts in their fields.

Certainly, we can debate the values that are motivating the decisions. We should discuss them, argue about them, and look at issues from different angles. But we need to do that in a serious, respectful manner. There is a reason why the various medical organizations stood up to defend Gamzu. Last week, at a nighttime meeting of the team of consulting experts, we felt that things had gone too far, and the processes by which the government was making decisions was insufferable and the public would soon be losing its faith in us, again.

The approval of the traffic light plan – finally – is an important step, but it is also important to remember that it must be backed by support for testing, evacuation of corona carriers to hotel facilities, welfare services, and the needs of at-risk populations. In effect, it creates a round table of everyone involved in public health at the city and local level.

Politicians needs to help promote a view that assesses each city or town individually and moves the main responsibility to local government, with backing from the national level. This is the time to combine politics and public health in the broad social sense, rather than narrow party-based politics, and allow the experts to do their jobs.

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