Opinion | The solution is in our hands: if we all enlist, we can live next to the corona Israel today

There is an inconceivable gap between the situation of the State of Israel today, where we lead an almost normal life on the Corona side, and the messages that emerge from the experts in the health system and academia - that the fifth wave is already here.

There are several factors that explain the gap.

First, the natural decline in immune protection as time passes, occurring simultaneously with the spread of the omicron variant, which can already be said to be much more contagious (the number of infections doubles within three days).

In a laboratory study conducted at Sheba Medical Center and the Central Virus Laboratory, we learned that the three-dose vaccine response neutralizes the omicron strain slightly less, while the immune response to this strain among two-dose recipients after six months of receiving the second dose is nil.

Paradoxically, if this strain is found to be highly contagious but does not cause severe disease, it may be able to suppress the rest of the mutations and turn the corona into only mild disease.

Second, the issue that worries Israel the most is the high number of people to be vaccinated today - more than two million, including the unvaccinated, vaccinated in just two doses and children who have not yet been vaccinated.

Europe, which is in a worse position than Israel due to the higher numbers of the unvaccinated, is currently imposing a number of restrictions, with an emphasis on those who have not been vaccinated at all or have not received a booster dose, including a selective closure.

Israel's challenge to vaccinate more than two million people is even greater than the challenge it faces in the fourth wave.

So, the significant decision was to start giving the booster dose contrary to popular belief in the FDA and the world.

But from the moment the decision was made, about four million Israelis responded to the call and were vaccinated - and thanks to them, the fourth wave faded.

Today, instead of convincing the convinced, we are required to convince the dissidents and the hesitant.

This is a more difficult challenge.

To be successful, you must continue to provide information to specific audiences.

For example, in Sheba, a conference for the great rabbis was held recently in collaboration with the director general of the Ministry of Health, where we answered their questions and harnessed them for information.

At the same time, priority should be given to all those who have been vaccinated and acted on the principle of mutual guarantee, on the side of protecting themselves and their families.

It is not right to impose an obligation of isolation on returnees from abroad, even in the case of exposure to Omicron. This is a fundamentally wrong policy with regard to those who have been vaccinated.

Corona Department at Shaare Zedek Hospital (Archive), Photo: Oren Ben Hakon

As for those who choose not to get vaccinated, the gloves should be taken off and drastic measures taken, ranging from restricting entry to non-essential public places to raising health taxes.

However, imposing a vaccination obligation is not practical.

Equally important, the health care system should be strengthened and intensive care beds added, in order to avoid the need for a total closure in the event that the number of patients severely exceeds the few places currently available in intensive care.

In the fourth wave we reached an extreme situation where there was no room for any other patient connected to a heart-lung machine in the whole country.

Therefore, the plan of the Association of Hospital Managers for the addition of 321 intensive care beds must be implemented today - this is the lesson we learned in the second wave.

Bottom line, the solution is in our hands.

If we all mobilize, we will be able to lead a safe lifestyle on the side of the corona.

The author is the Deputy Director of Sheba Medical Center and a member of Corona's Cabinet of Experts, and previously served as Director General of the Ministry of Health.

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