Last week, after the death of 6-year-old Yosef Naim from a complication of influenza at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, the CEO, Prof. Hezi Levy, received a message on his cell phone from an unidentified number.
"Hezi Levy, the boy died of a vaccine. So did my nephew and my sister.
Everything is money money money.
I have proof. "
Levi Zem.
"I'm standing in the shock room, watching the staff in the intensive care unit. Children are doing everything they can to save the child, without success. To Pike News, but here I could not resist.I wrote that it is very unfortunate that the child died, but he was never vaccinated.
"Do you think that silenced the writer? No, he went on to claim that he knew more people who had died from the vaccine, and more people, and it would have continued, if I had not blocked it.
"The first hypothesis about the boy's death was that he suffered from a post-corona complication, from which he recovered a month and a half before his death. But after an examination it turned out to be a flu complication. This did not stop vaccine opponents from claiming he died as a result of the vaccine."
This was not the first message Levy received against the vaccines.
As a former director general of the Ministry of Health, at the height of the second and third waves and the beginning of the fourth wave - in which he announced the vaccination campaign for children aged 15-12 - he has already earned derogatory nicknames such as "fascist" and "child killer." Assistance in harming helpless children '.
There were demonstrations in front of the Ministry of Health and in front of my house with derogatory signs and words that I will not repeat. "
Were you scared?
"It's not pleasant, but I reported to the security man and the police, and they took care of things. I try to fight Facebook posts, download stories of all kinds, but continue to do resolutely what I believe in. I believe I do good for the people of Israel. Not affected by my Pike News consumers. Zero discussion culture. "
• • •
For a year, Levy (66) served as the director general of the Ministry of Health.
On his desk is a clear mug containing black coffee, which cools even before he has had enough to drink.
On the back shelf are pictures of the toddler granddaughters, Tom and Ziv.
His schedule is crowded - from a zoom session, to a sitting room, to another video session. But Levy insists on finding at least a moment a day, especially while traveling, to listen to rock music and Israeli music, which he loves so much.
He lives in Reut, is married to Rivka, a researcher at the Weizmann Institute, and the father of Elad (38), Ido (34) and Yoav (31).
Unlike Moshe Bar-Siman Tov, his predecessor as director general of the ministry, who was not a doctor, Levy is a specialist in general surgery. Until 2007 he served in the IDF and served as chief medical officer with the rank of brigadier general. He also managed the ministry, after which Levy served as head of the medical directorate at the Ministry of Health, and from 2012 managed Barzilai Hospital, until he was appointed director general of the Ministry of Health in June 2020.
With the formation of the new government and the entry of Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz into the post of Health Minister, Levy announced the termination of his position and his return to hospital management.
Now it turns out it was not really a choice.
"The feeling was that Taurus was being stopped," he says, "I was on the move, and the decision to leave was not due to exhaustion, fatigue or a desire to relieve myself.
"A new minister came in, chose to replace me, I accepted it and left, full of satisfaction and full of sorrow. But okay, I have nothing in my heart about the minister or the new CEO.
I worked with Prof. Ash from November 2020 when he took on the role of project manager, and when he took on the role of CEO, we did an orderly overlap. "
Are you still involved in what's going on in the office?
"I am involved in what is happening from knowledge sharing between hospitals and professionals. I am not involved in discussions or decisions of the Ministry of Health regarding Corona."
What should be done to prevent the spread of the omicron?
"What is already being done, but more than you are. First of all, it needs to be vaccinated. We know that even though the vaccine's ability to protect decreases by about 40 percent, it still protects against serious illness. Therefore, more must be vaccinated, vaccinated and vaccinated now. It is to take over the entry into the country. As of the beginning of the week, many verified people came from abroad, so we need to pay more attention to Ben Gurion Airport, and not just close countries with high morbidity, as is done today.
"The inspections, the isolation in the community and the isolation of Israelis returning to Israel should be monitored. Enforcement was not good enough all along, and the hotels are designed for that purpose. The idea is to reduce contact between Israelis who come to Ben Gurion Airport and may carry the virus and the rest of the population.
It is a temporary, short-lived situation. "
Have we lost control of the omicron?
"I do not think so. This is the behavior of this strain. It is spreading insanely in dozens of countries, and everyone is doing what they can to break the chain of infection. This is exactly how the Delta started - two families who came from abroad and became ill, high infection in two schools We very much reached a wave that at its peak had 10,000 verified.
The forecast is that this wave will be similar. "
What would you do if you were now the CEO?
"Do not make a closure, certainly not in the first stage. I would do what they have done so far. Invest everything I can in vaccines, very strict about Ben Gurion Airport, isolations and enforcement of isolations.
People do not understand that isolation is not a punitive act.
Is an act designed to prevent infection and protect their families, their lives, so we should do everything we can and deter people from breaking the isolation.
I would also stop tourism, and not bring in tourists.
We have almost reached a point where it is possible to bring tourists into the country, but the new variety still does not allow it.
"But the important thing I would do is set a tough green mark, which limits the number of people indoors. There's nothing to do, these restrictions need to be done, and it should have been done a long time ago. And a number of entrants to prevent a gathering; B.A.), and the layout of the malls is also problematic because they fail to enforce it. "
Need a green sign in malls?
“When I was the director general of the Ministry of Health we thought several times to run a green sign in malls, but it is not enforceable.
It is difficult to enforce a green mark in a shopping center when there are essential stores, and you do not want to harm the economy. "
Would you impose a ban on the unvaccinated, as in Austria?
"It will not work. It is impossible to enforce such a closure. But the policy of the green mark can be tightened, and that is perfectly legitimate. Not as a means of pushing people to get vaccinated, but to protect those who are subject to the unvaccinated.
"The idea of forcing people to get vaccinated, or to maintain a differential closure, involves a serious legal problem. We also wanted to do some things that were legally problematic at the time. That the head of a small community with a tribal motif, where the rate of vaccinators is low, can talk to the resident, tell him 'I'll send you a vaccine' and encourage him to get vaccinated.
"Employees in the health system and the education system, for example, should be required to be vaccinated. Or make it as difficult as possible for those who are not vaccinated.
In the past we have tried to ask for a green mark from visitors, or to limit the number of visitors to one per patient, but we have realized that it is less effective.
I can not prevent an entry from a person who says he came to dine with a hospitalized relative. "
What grade do you give to the Ministry of Health so far?
"I can give a score of 10 on the desire to do the right things, on dedication and professionalism. Every organization has problems, but we all want to work for public health with determination. And there is nothing to do, when you guide public policy you sometimes run into difficulties.
"I worked under different conditions. We did not have vaccines in the beginning, and today there is a stock of vaccines thanks to our much work. I am very proud to work on the vaccines, which was done together with an amazing and professional team in the Ministry of Health."
Horowitz.
"Servant of Trust", Photo: Gideon Markowitz
• • •
He returns excitedly to the operation to bring in the vaccines, of which he was responsible as director general of the Ministry of Health, and some of his details have not been released to date. And we did not know which company would reach the finish line first and produce the vaccine.
But we knew we needed it, and that we had to give up the purchase commitment now.
After all, the whole world is chasing it, and if you do not buy it now, there will be no vaccine.
It's a great pride that after all this, you're the first in the world to store.
"It was not easy. Along with the decision of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, you have to persuade all the economic factors to put the money and push professionally to this safe haven that you believe in, after the ministry, especially the technology division, negotiates with all kinds of companies around the world. .
"There were contracts that came at 3 at night, when the prime minister had to be signed and returned to society by 7 in the morning, and we did that. We worked day and night, until finally, on December 19 a year ago, on Saturday night, the prime minister and minister arrived in Sheba. Health and your faithful servant get vaccinated before the eyes of the nation.
"And this thing happens after a job that I can not even talk about yet, both because some are not yet published, and also from the excitement. The first in the world to get it!
"After the wave went down, and there was no illness, I had arguments with Prime Minister Netanyahu and with the head of the National Security Council, Ben Shabbat, regarding the purchase of additional vaccines.
They asked me why I was driving my brain crazy by hundreds of millions of shekels to bring more vaccines, when the wave was going down.
But we at the Ministry of Health said it was not over yet.
Which needs more vaccines, because the whole world will run to look for more vaccines.
"In the end we found loopholes and ways to fund the purchase of vaccines and vaccine options. It was a time when the government was in a crash and there were no budgets, and we had to weave a relationship with Pfizer so we could get more doses from them. But we managed to get more vaccines."
He taps his finger on the table with a triumphant smile.
"I'm smiling now, because when we had to get the third dose, the booster, we had vaccine doses in the country, while all over the world they were still chasing first courses of vaccine. And where did all this come from? From the work of the Ministry of Health management. Edelstein and the prime minister, who are meant to maintain the health of the people. "
There has been a lot of criticism from politicians about a tough policy from the Ministry of Health, which has apparently made it difficult for the public to get back to routine.
"This is the nature of things. I did not have time to work with Minister Horowitz, so I can not attest to his work, but I can say that the previous health minister listened and heard and analyzed the data, despite the harsh conditions of lack of health oxygen, literally. We also felt his arm rest, when he He did not agree with us on all sorts of things that we brought up for discussion, and he thought differently for various reasons, political or political.
"It is completely legitimate, he is a knowledgeable man who listens and gives back when needed, and he has experience. His job is to discuss things at the cabinet table. There are different positions, with each minister representing his office to the point of bloodshed, and each minister has an agenda. "Everything is for them to adopt what we thought was right, and not always the prime minister thought like us. This is how it is conducted, even now. The role of professionals is to bring professional considerations to the cabinet table, the role of government is to make decisions."
Even the professionals were not always unanimous. For example, regarding children's vaccines.
"Even among professionals there are sometimes disagreements. I really like Dr. Sharon Elrai Price, and her work and dedication, and appreciate the sacrifice she makes in her life.
But more than once I also had arguments with her.
And also with the then projector, Prof. Nachman Ash.
And also with the Minister.
But when we came to the government with demands or proposals, we came after we formulated a truly professional position. "
Were you a warehouse in schools today as well?
"Definitely, that's a great thing. Brothers and sisters from Barzilai will probably also help with the vaccinations in the schools. After all, from the beginning, even in my time, we vaccinated in the yards of workplaces, in neighborhoods, we traveled to remote communities with Home Front Command and MDA vehicles to vaccinate.
I had an organized plan, in which I confirmed every day where to get vaccinated, who is going, where to go, to increase the availability of vaccines as much as possible.
That's why I believe that when it comes to children's vaccines - yes, it is perfectly legitimate to carry them out in the school yard as well.
"And I reiterate to anyone who reads the article and calls me a 'Bolshevik' or 'child killer', as I have been called in the past, that I do not preach for a moment to force children to be vaccinated. I am talking about vaccination with parental consent only. The Ministry of Health will increase accessibility and availability The vaccines and the warehouses for the benefit of the parents because they want to vaccinate the children. "
"It is perfectly legitimate to vaccinate children in the school yard as well."
Corona vaccines for children at the National Health Fund, this week, Photo: Coco
How do you deal with vaccine opponents and the misinformation that ran online?
"This issue angers me as a medical person who cares about public health. Yes, I am emotionally involved because I am a big believer in vaccines. But one has to fight all the Pike News and all this way of debate without cultural discourse.
"I have no problem arguing with someone professionally, with dignity. I argue professionally with great respect with people who argue with me professionally. After all, when there were claims that the vaccine had meningitis in teens, or claims that the vaccines were dangerous for teens, we tested those claims.
"We took the bags of the teens who got vaccinated and developed such inflammation, we went through one by one and tried to find out if there was a connection to the vaccine or the corona. We found that the risk of getting the disease was worse than the risk of the vaccine. "I am very proud of that, because today 75 percent of the youth at these ages are vaccinated. Thanks to that, we were able to open up the education system."
How about giving a fourth dose?
"The decision depends on the results of the tests that will show if there is a decrease in the concentration of antibodies for a certain period of time after receiving the booster.
In retrospect, would you have divided the time periods between vaccinations differently?
"I might have shortened the time between the second and third vaccines, according to a professional discussion, because we know that without the third vaccine there is a decrease in protection. It might be worth waiting four months between the second vaccine and the booster, instead of half a year. "We do not know how the vaccine regime will behave, and we do not know what it will be like in the future. But it is unlikely that there will be four doses a year."
• • •
Prof. Levy is a man of the field.
Loves to walk around patients, to get to wards, to people.
When he is in the hospital in the afternoon, he eats soup in the dining room with the staff.
But as director general of the Ministry of Health, he says, he had almost no opportunity to get to know the area.
"One of the problematic things during my time in the Ministry of Health was the division of time between Corona care and other tasks. I invested a lot of time in Corona, a necessity of reality, of course, when there were burning issues like budgets, arrangements and labor disputes with many sectors of health - labs, nurses And the economy.
"There were a lot of issues that were forgotten because of the corona. I dealt with them as much as I could. I did a lot of work and completed the theoretical stage in the food and cosmetics reform, I finished the reorganization of the Ministry of Health, of all staff, talking about separation of regulation, strategy, service, quality. The whole theoretical stage of the changes, and I even passed them on to Minister Edelstein's approval, but I did not have time to implement them.
"The hardest thing was the division of time between caring for Corona and the usual occupations. My management, the heart of his core, is to go out into the field. As the director general of the Ministry of Health it means visiting the health funds, the hospitals, sitting down to talk to the people themselves.
I managed to be in a few hospitals, but it was very difficult and problematic to manage the whole array.
"Therefore, I supported the appointment of a projector to deal with the caravan (Prof. Roni Gamzo was the first projector, who took office shortly after Levy; BA), and the introduction of the army (Alon headquarters, which was responsible for cutting the contagion chain).
At first we came across a cold shoulder from all sorts of professional associations, like public health doctors, but I invested a lot in building a relationship and work practices between the office, the projector and Alon Headquarters, who each felt taken away from the baby.
"One of my roles was to determine how this collaboration would work. Who does tests, who gets a budget, who is appointed as responsible for cutting the contagion chain and who for information and spokespersons. Who does what? "
"There is excellent cooperation between the hospitals." Visiting the corona ward of Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Photo: Eyal Margolin - Ginny
When the conversation shifts to the budget and the conduct of the treasury, Levy rises to high tones.
"One of the things that angers me is the under-budgeting of the public health system, which is so important to us, and the incessant debates to treat patients with professionalism and compassion and increase accessibility and availability of equal public medicine, as we have promised them.
"I am very upset about the lack of budgeting in manpower, infrastructure and technologies, with the aggravation in the periphery. I also shouted as director general of the Ministry of Health that the health budget should be strengthened, but it was a year without a budget.
My relationship with the finance people was good, but the professional debate was poignant.
We had terrible debates about budgeting in Corona, budgeting for vaccines and budgeting hospitals and HMOs.
Each year we prepared for the budget discussions as if there would be a budget the next day.
It did not happen during my time. "
Today there is cooperation between hospitals regarding Corona?
"There is excellent cooperation. Mostly knowledge sharing, but also in the Acmo device when necessary or in referring patients to nearby hospitals. Patient referral is regulated by the medical division of the Ministry of Health, and also as CEO I worked a lot on regulation."
So how is it that in the third wave we saw a crazy load in Jerusalem, for example, when there were almost no patients in the center?
"It was difficult to regulate in Jerusalem. Patients refused to be hospitalized outside the city, so we added beds at Herzog Hospital, for example, to hospitalize elderly patients there."
Have you already reopened the corona departments in Barzilai?
"No. There are currently a few critically ill patients across the country, and we have one patient in critical condition. If necessary, we will prepare again to open them."
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