Preparing vaccine
Preparing vaccineFlash 90

The third closure was due to end next week, but the Ministry of Health has now requested that the end date be extended for another week to prevent an increase in cases.

The number of diagnoses per day averages about 8,000, the number those defined as in serious condition is over 1,000 and, although the trend has stabilized, a significant decrease in morbidity indices has not yet been observed despite the rapid rate of vaccination.

Speaking to Radio 103 FM, Deputy Health Ministry Director Prof. Itamar Grotto said that although the health care system is not collapsing, there is an unusual load in the Covid-19 wards: "We see a stabilization in the number of verified cases and this can be attributed to lockdown. It could be that without it we would have much higher numbers of ill people in serious condition." He added: "The British mutation is a significant challenge all over the world and somewhat changes the rules of the game."

Grotto asserted that the vaccines would bring down the morbidity data soon, and estimated that it would happen "over the next week, maybe the one after." He also referred to the claims of former Minister and Chairman of Yisrael Beytenu Avigdor Liberman regarding information that the Ministry of Health hides from the public regarding the efficacy of the vaccines.

"We are not hiding any details from the public. We release a report a week on the progress of the vaccine, side effects, there are data published by the Health Clinics."

He later commented on the Ministry of Health's request to extend the lockdown once more, explaining: "I think it is right to continue the lockdown at least until we start to see a downward trend, at least in the new severe-condition patients, and this is not something we see yet. I think of course it is impossible to close Ben Gurion Airport forever, but we are at a point where it is important to vaccinate as many people as possible before opening again, and we need to see if good alternatives to quarantine are found, for example through electronic surveillance. I don't think we managed to reach a situation in which there is enforcement in all places, not just in the haredi community but in all places, including in the general sector where parties are held. "