August is coming to an end, with the fourth outbreak of the corona virus in Israel.
But is our situation now good or bad in relation to the virus?
In many ways the wave got very strong.
The new data broke the downward trend in the previously recorded epidemic.
For example, if at the beginning of the month the percentage of positive carriers in the daily tests was three percent, then at the end of the month the percentage was 7.6 - that is, doubling the percentage of carriers detected in the tests.
In the same way, in terms of mortality - in July the average mortality per day was low, standing at around two deaths per day.
In contrast, throughout August the death toll stood at a tragic average of 10 people per day, with on some days the mortality rate crossing the 20 deaths per day threshold.
The same is true of the number of critically ill patients hospitalized, which at the beginning of the month stood at 213 critically ill patients hospitalized.
At the end of the month the number jumped to over 710 patients, and the number of deaths this month so far stands at 554 people.
Studies in the days of Corona (those photographed have nothing to do with the news), Oren Ben Hakon
In fact, despite the third booster dose vaccination campaign, August still ended with a particularly high record of 10,947 carriers detected.
This is a number not seen in Israel in previous waves, and now the question arises whether the vaccination campaign will prevent a dramatic increase in the morbidity and mortality, especially in light of the opening of the school system tomorrow?
Or it will unfortunately turn out that despite all the efforts, Israel is marching to another closure.
In this regard, says Professor Eli Somekh, an expert in the treatment and counseling of infectious and immunological diseases in children, including prolonged and severe infections from Maayan Hayeshua Hospital - because in his opinion the school year should have been better, and the reality is not good at the moment.
Frontal learning in question.
A class in the days of Corona (those photographed have nothing to do with the news), Yehuda Peretz
He said: "First of all, there is indeed a curb of the virus in terms of severe morbidity among the elderly. But getting to the Tishrei holidays and opening the school year with such an amount of carriers, which is revealed every day, is really not good.
"Some people have a weak or immunocompromised immune system, and some people have not been vaccinated and now following the school year and holidays it will be difficult to stop the infection - because of the movement of many people. Therefore I am relatively concerned about the situation in Israel. "More restrictions to lower the rate of infection with the corona delta virus. There is a real danger to people who are weaker immunologically."
Appointment for a serological examination today, Gideon Markowitz
Professor Kobi Moran Gilad, from Ben-Gurion University, an expert in microbiology and public health in the Department of Health Systems Management and a member of the Ministry of Health's epidemic treatment team, believes that there is a dimension of risk in opening the school year.
“First the current wave is at the same intensity of the wave that was in the winter, and no significant braking is actually seen at the moment.
"The difference is in mortality and morbidity, because the public is vaccinated, and even when they get sick - it has not deteriorated into difficult situations. This situation allows the government to manage the risk and not enter closure this month. "Therefore, it is very worthwhile to increase the control in schools and the observance of the rules of distance, and also to take action to vaccinate everyone who has not been vaccinated with the booster dose or the first courses."
