Lockdown imposed in Ramle
Lockdown imposed in RamleYossi Aloni/Flash90

A group of over 100 Israeli doctors has publicly castigated the Health Ministry’s and the Israeli government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, accusing it of creating a massive economic downturn while failing to significantly curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

In a letter which some 130 practicing Israeli physicians have signed onto, the group criticized the Health Ministry’s broad restrictions on the general population, calling instead for measures to protect high-risk groups, while letting much of the country engage in public activities without serious limitations.

According to a report Sunday afternoon by Channel 12, the doctors argued in the letter that the government’s attempts to halt the virus’ spread have no chance of succeeding and may in fact worsen the pandemic.

In addition, the doctor’s said the mass restrictions imposed by the government based on the Health Ministry’s recommendations have “led to economic ruin and human suffering among millions of Israelis.”

Based on the lessons learned from the first wave of the virus, the doctors said, Israel should focus its efforts not on broad restrictions but on protecting the elderly and those with preexisting conditions which leave them particularly vulnerable to the virus.

“Large amounts of resources are turned to closures and epidemiological tracking of young, healthy people who have no real risk of dying, something which accomplishes nothing but their economic ruin.”

The doctors who signed onto the letter recommended that young, healthy people be allowed to engage in public activities freely, increasing the number of people immune to the virus and helping Israel to achieve herd immunity and ultimately end the pandemic.

The letter also claimed that many other physicians disagree with the Health Ministry’s policies but are not heard publicly, resulting in little debate on the direction pushed by the ministry.

“The voices of many doctors who disagree with the policies of the Health Ministry have been silenced and crushed.”