"The set of investigations will be ready, but it will not be enough" Israel today

The IDF and the Ministry of Health are preparing to withdraw from the quarantine, while condensing the line of investigations • Debate between health and finance ministers over continued closure • Minister Edelstein: "Tightening restrictions" • Minister Katz: "Enabling economic activity" • Ministry of Health officials: It all depends on public behavior

While the top echelons of the government are debating whether to tighten the partial closure, the IDF and the Ministry of Health are preparing for a proper exit from it, probably at the end of the holiday period.

Photo: Newsenders, Moshe Ben Simhon, Paz Bar and Yoni Rickner

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, senior IDF officials presented to the top officials of the Ministry of Health the state of the system for amputating the infection chains, focusing on the system of epidemiological investigations and tests. Readiness This system, which collapsed under the load at the beginning of the second wave, is a critical component.

As a lesson from this collapse, the government imposed on the IDF about two months ago to be the body that will operate the system of amputation of the contagion chains, ie the operation of corona tests and investigations. The army undertook to carry out the task quickly, but encountered many difficulties that caused very long delays. The investigations. 

Archive photo: IDF Spokesman

Both the Ministry of Health and the IDF now say that the system is already operating at a double and triple pace than before, and that by the deadline set for the end of October, it will be ready on an even larger scale. According to the Home Front Command, the daily number will reach 80,000. And later even to 100,000.

In addition, following the thickening of the epidemiological investigation system in the last two months, the Ministry of Health is currently employing about 900 investigators.

According to a senior official in the Ministry of Health, this array is currently being investigated in about 60 percent of cases.

According to the survey presented by the IDF, with the end of the closure in mid-October, it will be able to take responsibility for the investigation system and it will appoint between 1,700 and 2,200 investigators according to the plan.

"Investigations are tools"

Most researchers will be citizens currently employed by the Ministry of Health.

A regular battalion of regular soldiers that the deputy chief of staff ordered its establishment last weekend will be added. In addition, about 600 local government employees are currently qualified to serve as epidemiologists. The entire system is to operate under IDF responsibility, in accordance with professional guidance from the Ministry of Health.

A senior Ministry of Health official noted that even if the IDF's investigation system works as planned and even reaches 2,000 investigators, "it is not enough to deal with the volumes of 3,000 patients a day, as we have recently experienced.

Investigations are a complementary tool, not an exclusive tool.

It is assumed that there are double the number of verified carriers, beyond those that are detected.

Because they are unfamiliar, it is impossible to explore them and reach their environment.

Therefore, investigations are only aids.

For the exit strategy to be successful, more components are needed. "

"The challenge is to make sure the guidelines are met"

Meanwhile, the Corona Cabinet is expected to convene at noon and discuss further restrictions.

Health Minister Edelstein believes that the closure needs to be tightened in the near future.

A senior health ministry official added: "We need to monitor and see what is happening in public behavior and morbidity. Of course we will not see immediate results. A worsening of the closure is definitely a possibility, if there is no public behavior that will reduce morbidity."

On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance opposes the tightening of restrictions on the public.

According to Finance Minister Israel Katz: "Private workplaces that do not receive a public must remain open, as stipulated in the government decision, to enable economic activity. The government's common challenge, with the top of the business sector and with managers of enterprises and businesses and law enforcement, is to ensure strict existence. "Of the health guidelines and the purple mark. A workplace that does not take care will be closed, without receiving any assistance from the state."

He added that "enforcement of restrictions in other areas must be done uncompromisingly and vigorously. Anyone who maliciously and contrary to the provisions of an event at risk of infection, such as a wedding or party, must be arrested on a life-threatening charge, and prosecuted. After ten arrests these incidents will cease."

On business assistance, Katz said: "The economic safety net that we have extended for a whole year to employees, the self-employed and business owners is working well, and now I will bring the government the supplementary plan we announced, including lowering ministers' salaries and MKs, lowering the criteria and lowering the threshold to 25%. Property tax, to enable more businesses to receive assistance.

We also set an incentive for employee retention, for businesses that will remain open and retain employees in their workplaces. ”Today the plan is expected to go up for government approval.

 "We did not abide by the agreement"

According to the team of experts at the Hebrew University, a thousand more people are expected to die in Israel from the corona virus by November, and the number will double if the closure does not tighten.

According to a document distributed by the team yesterday, about 250 respirated patients are expected to be in Israel within two weeks.

Corona's commissioner, Prof. Roni Gamzo, told News 12 yesterday (Monday): "We did not abide by the new contract with the public, but the public did not abide by it either."

He added that he expects the number of patients in critical condition in Israel to reach 800 within a week.

In addition, Prof. Gamzo instructed the hospitals to open more corona wards: "We are in an emergency. I have instructed all hospitals to open more corona wards."