COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccineiStock

Prof. Asher Elhiani, a lecturer in the Department of Health Systems Management at Ariel University and former director of the United Health Fund and director of Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, finds it difficult to understand why leaving the third lockdown is so difficult.

"I am sad to see that we have battled this epidemic for a year with no clear answers to all the questions and no real data on infection. All we know for certain is that schools bare not particularly dangerous and that the educational system could have been reopened by now." Prof. Elhiani told Arutz Sheva.

"Most children are infected in their homes and not in schools. If I had to open something now it is the education system. It hurts that the schools are portrayed as a risk."

Prof. Elhaini would rather open much more if possible. "We need to develop fitness programs as well, things that can keep the body strong enough to fight the virus. "

"Now that more than half of the teacher population is vaccinated, what is the fear of opening schools? We closed the schools too early, before the mutation made the virus more dangerous. Now we have weaker bodies and weaker minds too." adds Prof. Elhaini.

In his opinion, "Even in the current situation where the virus is more dangerous or infects children, it is still not worth the risk of not studying. The consequences of neglected educational and social development have their own risks."

Prof. Elhaini says that the end of the plague in Israel seems closer than ever. "I estimate we are nearing the end, because if we have close to five million vaccinated and between one and a half million who are actually infected, we are approaching a situation where most of the population will be vaccinated. The easiest way to speed this up is to make vaccination optional; making it mandatory makes people resist it."

"Beyond this, there must be greater transparency about vaccination: side effects, test results, and more. Displaying all the information about the vaccine in an honest manner will let people choose vaccination for themselves once they see how beneficial it is. We will not need to see pictures of policemen trying to force people into compliance. With transparent research and public education, we can leave this plague behind us that much sooner. "