Risk Index: Closed Space Hazard Data Revealed • Recreation in Cinema Is More Dangerous From the Mall, and Chance of Infection in a Large Gym than Walking in the Park • Public Health Association Chairman: "It was a mistake to confirm in mid-June"
Many spend in the flea market in Jaffa
Photo:
Gideon Markovich
"My heart is with all the young and happy couples, but I must state that these joys have become a source of contagion," Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said only Thursday, when he announced the recommendation to reduce the events to just 50 people.
Minister Edelstein did not say these things. At a wedding that took place in Ofakim, in which Corona was ill, two Dimona residents who were infected with the virus were present and infected other people. They have led to dozens of adhesive chains in the city that are currently experiencing a significant outbreak.
Also, a Corona patient undermining a wedding in the village of Kassem led to contagion chains among people from Ramla, Lod and Kafr Kassem who attended the same event.
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On the other hand, for example, on June 24, Corona patients attended at least 13 event halls across the country. One day earlier, patients were present in 15 event halls - each of which can hold up to 250 people.
A report from the Corona National Knowledge Center, made by the IDF, indicates that mass incidents in closed places and without social remoteness are increasing the rate of infection.
It has also been noted that many countries have avoided the easing of this area until a late stage, and have a recommendation to avoid closed, mass places and without social remoteness.
"A similar risk of widespread infection is posed by activities taking place in stadiums, sports halls, synagogues, and prayer houses," the report added.
"Tomorrow can be a sad day when weddings will be turned into funerals," warns the Association of Public Health Physicians, Professor Hagai Levin, "Immediate social events should not be delayed and the assumption that each of us can be an infectious carrier."
Prof. Levin adds: "It was a mistake in the first place to approve the events in mid-June. Already there was an upward trend in morbidity. What is the logic of the" Prime Minister's Measures ", if not used and do not understand the main thing? Only now it comes to the Knesset debate." .
"Stress led to error"
The Chairman of the Public Health Doctors Association calls on the Ministry of Health to publish information and epidemiological investigations on the infection of events: "There is now no need to wait for the law. If I had been invited to a wedding - I wouldn't have come; And if it was my event, I would cancel. "
Researchers at the Hebrew University also noted that the infection was mainly in the young population and "non-injury" in early June, but since June 15, the opening of multi-participant events, "cross-infection" between young and adult population has been possible, and infection This manifested itself within 10 days of an increase in the number of hospitalized patients.
One of the researchers, Prof. Ronit Calderon-Margalit, from the Hadassah School of Public Health and the Hebrew University, notes that "in mid-June they opened the event halls, which allowed gatherings for up to 250 people, and immediately afterwards we saw a very significant increase in moderate and severe morbidity, and we think that halls Events are its engine. In schools, morbidity is limited to a young, healthy population, and events have a multi-generational audience. Closed halls encourage super-distributors - 'Super Spraders'. We know that in an enclosed hall there is a virus spread through the ventilation system, and even dances that are done outside are not socially distant nor masked. In retrospect, the decision to open the event halls was wrong. "