The fifth wave has brought us all back once again to a discourse on restrictions, closures and the collapse of hospitals: once again we are watching and hearing prophecies about thousands of severely ill, millions infected and life paralysis virtually gone.
And the average citizen, caught up in anxiety again, is waiting for the professional to responsibly balance this tune, even if it is difficult and uncertain, some balance.
It seems much easier to say that the situation is a catastrophe, and if it gets easier - it's because we succeeded;
And by the way, it's not terrible to be ultra-Orthodox.
But this is not the way to gain public trust.
It should be said, Israel is welcoming the fifth wave in good conditions: perhaps the most vaccinated country in the world, and even close to 4.5 million booster vaccinated just four to five months ago, a solid and well-practiced medical system in hospitals and the community, an efficient and effective testing system and professional decision makers , Experienced and responsible who win the public trust.It's time to convey confidence, faith in our standing, and not cries of anxiety and rupture before collapse.
The current wave requires us to focus on proper medical management while focusing on the continuation of life of all shades in Israel, out of strength and faith, competence and continued full functioning of all civilian systems - including economy, commerce, education, society and culture, also tourism, basically everything.
This is because we have all the conditions and strengths for it.
All of these while focusing on the health care system, continuing immunization and adjusting testing and isolation policies.
Indeed, the fifth wave here and around the world is characterized by the characteristics of the Omicron strain: very contagious and less violent.
In simplicity and rough approximation: four times more contagious, and about a quarter more violent compared to the Delta strain.
In any case, the number of patients in hospitals will increase, perhaps even surpass the previous record;
Hospitals and medical teams have already proven their strength in previous waves - it will repeat itself and once again prove to the public their strength in times of crisis.
But the peak of records will be the amount of patients active in the community, and this requires us to give support to the HMOs, which are about to face double and more patients of the previous records.
Proper deployment will prevent the chaos and cries of the rift.
This is the place to once again cherish this system, strengthen it with resources, and cherish every nurse and brother, every doctor, every medical staff member;
They in their excellence will win this time too.
And I'm proud of them every day.
The timing of the fifth wave and the increase in Omicron and Delta infections in fully vaccinated people, including boosters, are due in part to the phenomenon we already experienced five months ago - the decline in the effectiveness of immune protection.
Therefore, Israel's precedent decision to add another booster is correct, and I would even say critical to get through this wave.
I would suggest not to be confused by headline evidence of superficial research, but to focus on the official recommendation, in the medical and scientific knowledge we have accumulated so far, that for an effective vaccine that fades over time, it is not surprising.
Corona Department // Photo: Oren Ben Hakon // Corona Department,
It is true that we do not yet have evidence of an increase in protection against infection after the extra booster, but let us remember that five months ago, with the same lack of knowledge, we gave a booster before the whole world, we were right and came out of the wave.
So every person who has not yet been vaccinated, every person who has not received the booster, every child - go get vaccinated.
It's safe, it protects you and it will allow us to get through this wave as well.
Keep checking
One thing has not changed between all the waves, and that is that the ability to manage the epidemic, try to contain it and succeed - goes through locating the infected.
I understood this as a projector, and even then we have built one of the most extensive testing capabilities in the world.
This must not be given up.
The entire array of about 200,000 PCR tests per day and hundreds of thousands of antigen tests must be fully utilized and even pushed to grow, we have not yet reached insufficiency.
Changing the 60-plus PCR testing policy must not, God forbid, leave empty stations, partial intelligence - which is so important for managing this wave - and create an atmosphere of apathy and giving up the possibility of knowing, because there are enough "not knowing" incentives to move on.
Then continue to be tested by PCR, antigen at stations, and when necessary - at home tests, in the workplace and at gatherings.
Maintain system competency
The continuation of the competency of civilian and life systems depends very much on guidelines for isolation time for the exposed or recovery time for patients in a mild condition.
Shortening the number of days and adjusting to the characteristics of a wave, most of which is easy to infect, are critical.
There is currently no need for isolation for vaccinated whose antigen testing is negative, so the trend is more verified than isolated.
The focus now should be on shortening the recovery time per week, the price will be small compared to the profit in employee fitness and systems.
Do not be afraid of opening the sky to Israelis going everywhere or from incoming tourism, this wave is raging in every country and we have no priority over the others;
The tourism economy must return to the priorities, not only because the risk is low, but because in value, the sky does not close in a dynamic country over time.
It seems that if we have not been able to get used to living alongside this epidemic / disease so far, a suitable breed has arrived, you could say "coach", to train and get us used to it.
Israel, for its part, must continue to show strength, leadership, innovation, public and medical resilience;
No anxiety or panic.
The public deserves steps aimed at continuing life, in a discourse of trust and confidence.
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