Until recently, Israel was still considered a Corona model for Germany.
The fourth wave was considered defeated.
But now the tide seems to be turning.
Tel Aviv / Munich - The eyes of the world continue to cling to Israel during the corona pandemic.
Thanks to a two-part strategy consisting of a comprehensive vaccination campaign and extensive tests, the country on the eastern Mediterranean was able to successfully put the fourth wave in its place.
The number of infections fell rapidly, a few weeks ago only 400 cases were reported per day.
But now the successful strategy no longer seems to be fruitful, the number of cases and the R-value are slowly increasing again.
Israel: role model in the fight against corona?
Infection numbers are rising again
Salman Sarka, as Israel's national Corona representative, is the face of the successful campaign, but he too is worried about the rising numbers.
"Too early and too fast"
If the new infections come, it is said on the national radio. In September, Israel was at the height of the pandemic to date, with more than 11,000 new cases a day. With the help of early and, above all, extensive booster vaccinations, it was possible to reduce the number of infections to an average of 400 per day. The fourth corona wave was considered to have been overcome, a fifth - as recently predicted for Germany by RKI boss Wieler - already seems to be on the way.
Most recently, the Ministry of Health recorded a slight increase in the number of cases and the R-value, which corresponds to the
Reflects the occurrence of infection.
Experts explain this, according to the report, among other things with the falling immunity of more than a million Israelis who received their second vaccination dose more than six months ago.
Sarka had just described a similar scenario to the
Spiegel
a few days ago
, saying that the effect of the original vaccinations had waned.
“I don't know whether it will be the last vaccination either.
Maybe you need a booster, maybe two.
Maybe three or four, ”Zarka pointed out at the time.
Corona vaccinations: Israel is now also vaccinating its children
At the end of July, Israel was the first country in the world to have a booster campaign with the vaccine from
Biontech / Pfizer started.
Israelis can get a booster vaccination just five months after the second vaccination.
This week vaccination of children between the ages of five and eleven also began.
Of 9.4 million Israeli citizens, around 43 percent are now triple vaccinated.
Almost two thirds received at least two syringes.
Similar to Italy, a so-called “green passport” is also used in Israel.
This vaccination certificate must be shown in crowded places; if the test is negative, unvaccinated people will be issued a temporary ID.
“At some mass events we decided not to let unvaccinated people in.
And people have to wear a mask again and keep their distance from one another, ”Sarka reported to the
mirror
.
(afp / to)
List of rubric lists: © Oded Balilty
