Our leaders are not without faults, but it is time to tell the public the truth: each and every one of us is also responsible for spreading the corona - or halting it • The government needs to think creatively and adopt an open air activities policy, and we need to look at ourselves as well • Opinion

Nowadays when we are faced with difficult decisions of closing the economy following the second wave the decision makers have to take into account both the economic side and the health side, a very difficult task where whatever they decide will hurt a particular group.

The Corona Commission has lifted some of the restrictions imposed by the government // Photo: Knesset Channel

The virus infects differently at different ages and there is a long period where the virus carriers can infect others while they themselves are not sick. This period makes it difficult for us in several respects, firstly it is difficult to identify where they themselves have been infected and in addition it is difficult to identify those who have been infected. 

Identifying the chain of infection is not straightforward when it comes to the large number of days in which the patient or carrier of the infection may have been contagious. A shortage of epidemiological researchers has hampered the system's ability to carry out this follow-up. It is quite clear today that mistakes have been made in investing in the epidemiological investigation system, in addition to the long time it takes to get an answer to the virus test, these two factors together have created a situation where it is very difficult to cut the infection chain quickly and efficiently. 

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Investing resources in these two directions is necessary for the near future in order to deal with the plague. But there are other actions that can be taken to stop the chain of infection and the main one in them is preventing crowds and wearing masks. The list of places where people are infected has recently been published, it is important to note that this list is based on a small proportion of cases as in most cases it is not possible to clearly identify where the person is infected. Hence the difficulty of basing our actions on reliable information that is simply lacking. 

One of the solutions that may not be ideal but allows the exposure to infection to be reduced, is to transfer the places of entertainment and stay to the open air while maintaining a distance of two meters. For example, consider opening restaurants and cafes where you can take tables out two meters from each other, spending time at the beach where you can keep your distance, spending time outdoors and in parks by limiting the number of people who enter the site. 

It's time to be creative in identifying ways to start businesses that can be avoided. A combination of local and national closures can address vulnerabilities in the country. In addition it is not only possible to demand solutions from decision makers, we ourselves need to identify the places where there is a risk for us and our family members. 

At the same time, ask everyone around you to wear a mask. A combination of smart and careful behavior will lower your risk of getting infected and contagious. The situation in the country today is very worrying for all of us, there is no one who remains indifferent and says "it does not concern me", we have reached a situation where the public and the media are looking for culprits instead of looking for solutions. 

Again, there are two sides to the coin, on the one hand it is democracy and our right to express our opinions and choose leaders who know how to handle the situation and not accept with closed eyes everything our great leaders decide. But there is also a second side to the currency, the imposition of this continuing blame creates a lack of trust in the population, and the instructions passed on to the public are accepted with distrust. As a result, the public is not convinced that the guidelines will bring about the desired change. Distrust prevents the adoption of behaviors among the public, hence rapid deterioration. 

For a moment try to stop blaming everyone and also think about what you can do so as not to endanger yourself and others. There is now a need for creativity in identifying open spaces that will allow for recreation without being too close to other people, changing the social norm for keeping distance and wearing masks, and thus life can be organized in the corona routine that will allow both our economy and physical and mental health to thrive.

Prof. Orna Brown-Appel is a lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Haifa