"Dangerous strains have begun to develop in several countries around the world":
Ministry of Health representatives warned today (Monday) in the Constitution Committee that there is a rapid and sharp increase in morbidity in the world, due to the development of variants against which the vaccine is less effective.
The committee met two days before the restrictions came into force, to continue discussing the Green Label regulations and the restriction on leaving Israel.
Among the approved regulations - a ban on travel to Bulgaria that will apply from tonight.
At the same time, Argentina, South Africa, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, the United Kingdom and Cyprus, which can now be flown, have been removed from the list.
According to Ilana Gens, head of the public health staff at the Ministry of Health, "there is a rapid and sharp increase in morbidity in most countries around the world. "It has already been in the country. The perception must be changed and the obligation to isolate must be significantly expanded, but the countries that are forbidden to travel must be reduced.
The Knesset debate on the new variant that worries experts // Photo: Knesset Channel
The director of the Department of International Relations at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Asher Shalmon: "If the variant arrives in Israel, it will change the picture of the game.
Simply put: it will push us into a closure that we are trying to avoid.
We see first facts referring to the same variant, and identify less effective of all vaccines on it: Pfizer, Modern and Astraznica.
This means that the vaccine is also effective for variants, but less so. "
"The more the world gets vaccinated, the fewer strains. The game in time and an attempt to delay the penetration of strains into the country are meant to allow more people to get vaccinated. Not everything we knew in the first, second and third waves is happening now, and this disease requires us to cope all the time."
Police representatives at a discussion in the Constitution Committee today // Photo: Noam Moskowitz, Knesset Spokeswoman,
The committee's deputy chairman, Eitan Ginzburg (blue and white), emphasized the duty to enforce the duty of isolation of those arriving from dangerous countries.
Ginzburg called for avoiding the need for notarization of documents submitted to the Exceptions Committee for Exit Permits to Prohibited States, but to believe in citizens, and if it turns out they lied to punish severely.
As you may recall, yesterday the Ministry of Health announced that crowd restrictions will also apply in the event halls: 500 in an open hall and 400 in a closed hall.
This is an addition to the guidelines decided on by the Corona Cabinet last week, in which it was decided to tighten the outline of the green character and return the restrictions of the purple character.
The new guidelines will take effect this coming Wednesday (August 18).
MK Moshe Gafni "does not in any way accept the statement that we contain the dead": "It is said 'only there is no fear of God in this and the grave'" @ Ayelet__Shaked @naftalibennett pic.twitter.com/FiMnFiH1b7
Knesset Channel (@KnessetT) August 16, 2021
At the same time, the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee, headed by MK Efrat Reytan, which will also convene today, will hold a discussion regarding the Public Health Order regarding the obligation to isolate returnees from any state not otherwise defined.
Under the order, which will take effect on August 16, the only countries vaccinated and recovering from it will not be required for isolation are: Austria, Australia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Taiwan, Moldova, New Zealand, China, Singapore and the Czech Republic.