The health system is trying to calm the public this morning (Sunday), following the new measures announced by the Corona Cabinet last night, following the discovery of the Omicron variant in Israel.
Photo: Roi Avraham / GPO, Sound: Ben Peretz / GPO
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Experts stress that the measures taken, including isolating returnees from abroad, banning tourists from returning and returning GSS IDFs, are only precautionary measures, as the Omicron variant has not yet been proven to be more resistant to vaccine, or cause more serious illness.
Prof. Nachman Ash, director general of the Ministry of Health, said this morning in the High Court of Justice: "If it is found that the vaccine works on the new variant - we may consider returning the tourist entry. Two weeks to look into the matter. "
Prof. Ash, Photo: Yossi Zeliger
Ash added: "If the suspicion turns out to be real, there is an indication of infection within Israel and that is problematic. In the coming days, as we move to the PCR method that discovers the variant, we will find out if it is common in the country.
Corona's commissioner, Prof. Salman Zarqa, told Khan B: "According to the data we see, I think caution is needed, especially when it comes to mutations we have not seen so far. Relevant, but there may be a decrease in its effectiveness. "
Zarqa added: "Since the information about the new variant is limited - it is necessary to tighten the boundaries, and I think it is a proportionate step. The virus is already in the country, we are reducing its continued drip here. I think we are in control of the situation."
On the other hand, Minister Gideon Saar, who last night opposed at the Corona Cabinet meeting the steps recommended by the Ministry of Health - and adopted by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, said to "Here II": "A complete halt to tourism "In the end, there is no evidence that the new strain is more deadly. According to the data, it is more contagious, but not more dangerous."
Saar added: "We need to keep in mind that our main effort is the vaccines, including the children's vaccine. Once a restriction is imposed on vaccinated people returning from abroad it could hurt that effort."
On the return of GSS personnel, Saar said: "This is a tool from the world of pre-vaccinations.
"This tool should be used in extreme situations, and I was not convinced that we were there."
Were we wrong?
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