Dr. Boaz Lev, the head of the Health Ministry's epidemic unit, spoke to Arutz Sheva on Sunday following the first day of the lockdown relief as approved by the Israeli Cabinet overnight Saturday.
Speaking of the relief measures that were approved by the Cabinet, Dr. Lev said, “There are dozens of possible ways to move forward, but if we want to move forward in the safest way, which will ensure our health and not cancel out the economic world which is important to both health and wellness, we must go forward carefully and see where things go.”
“It is necessary to check whether the policy of physical distancing and wearing masks has caught on. Do people understand the possibility of infection? We've learned something in recent times and we are coming with new insights today,” he added.
Dr. Lev asked that the relief granted by the Cabinet in holding prayers in minyanim not be taken advantage of. The Cabinet approved holding prayers in groups of up to 19 people within 500 meters of a residence or a workplace in an open area while maintaining a distance of at least two meters between worshipers.
"One must act wisely and see how to find the right way to comply with these procedures. If it is a crowded situation, it is better not to hold the prayer service, because health is a priority and we need to maintain the idea of self-preservation,” he said.
The Ministry of Health has identified an improvement in the rate of infection, continued Dr. Lev. "There is a reason for optimism, otherwise we would not have recommended relief measures, and I hope that in the future we will recommend more relief measures. There is definitely a reduction in infection. There are certain places that have recorded a very significant increase and where it is more difficult to control infection, but even Bnei Brak proved that with effort, internalization and personal responsibility we can flatten the curve and try to resume our normal lives. The virus will not go home in despair. It is staying here.”
Asked how quickly we will get back to life as we knew it before the coronavirus, Dr. Lev replied, "We hope it will happen as quickly as possible and, to no small extent, that is up to us. If we follow the rules, if we go into isolation immediately after being infected and find out who was around us, we can be optimistic. I hope that within a few months we can return to a place similar to where we were before, with reservations about distances between people, face masks and hand washing."
He noted the importance of wearing a mask in public, even when more significant relief measures are in place. "There is a game that if we both wear a mask that protects the mouth and nose - I protect you and you protect me - we are in a situation from which only winners emerge. As soon as anyone violates the rules of the game, it breaks the balance. I think we have a responsibility to protect the health of others and we really want others to protect our health as well. This is the social decision we need to make before exiting our homes.”