The whole world is celebrating the vaccine breakthroughs, and most countries have purchased various vaccines.
But — because of the expectation of a vaccine, one must not enter a "standby" state. Before it arrives, there are many weeks and even months that we need to get through in peace, and meanwhile many people are getting infected, some are really sick and some are dying even nowadays. In addition, we have a million unemployed and tens of thousands of businesses that are actually going bankrupt these days.
It doesn't have to be this way.
It is possible to take control of COVID-19 now, even before the vaccines arrive in Israel. Until the vaccine arrives, is distributed and activated in Israel, these are the steps that the government must take immediately:
1. It is mandatory to test everyone who enters Israel. Anyone wishing to enter Israel will have to present a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours in advance and will be re-examined upon landing. After the test one will be sent several hours for isolation (in a hotel or at home), until a negative result is obtained. Those who are unwilling will not enter Israel.
Although I raised this already in March, up to this moment the State of Israel does not do so. I can not understand why.
2. Regular mass testing throughout Israel. From disease centers to green cities. Israel today has the ability to process 100,000 tests a day. Using the proven pooling method, it is possible to process about 2 million tests every day. Every day. Meaning - there is no problem to perform a regular weekly inspection of all Israel's citizens.
Full mass tests in schools and kindergartens. There is no reason to leave children or teachers at home. Just check again and again and again.
4. Light up the traffic light. To this day, much has been said about the traffic light system, but in practice — it is not implemented. Currently there is no difference between a business in a red city and a green city. The gyms are closed in both. Same as restaurants. The whole idea of the traffic light is the different attitude. Today a green city pays the price of promiscuous conduct in a red city. It makes no sense.
5. Upgrade an array of epidemiological tests and integrate them into surveillance tools. In short - today the investigation is based on the memory of a tested person. On the other hand, the GSS often sends people to isolation unnecessarily, which involves losing millions of hours of work. Connecting both solves the problem. GSS surveillance tools will aid investigation.
6. Get rid of the lockdown and accordion concepts. This perception sees lockdown as a "success" and does not attempt to move to the "tweezers" method, aimed at locating and isolating carriers, alongside opening up the economy and the education system.
7. Full operation of the education system based on the 11 points. The rule: no longer close the education system. What do we do? Study outside. Reduction to 4 basic subjects. Volunteering. Shifts. And of course - a mass of tests.
8. Returning the activities in classes and informal enrichment for the children of Israel. Based on a stricter purple badge in green cities and weekly tests. One million children lose the right to know robotics, hiking, physical training, judo and more. Especially in the periphery.
9. Returning sports and physical training - Israeli citizens deteriorate physically and emotionally without physical activity. Approve a purple badge adapted for gyms (in green cities), Pilates, and all physical training centers. The price of health care paid by the citizens of Israel is terrible, and we are losing thousands of businesses, sending tens of thousands into unemployment. In vain. For no reason.
10. Vocational training, vocational retraining before hitting the wall of July 1, 2021. Nearly a million people are currently receiving unemployment benefits or are on unpaid leave. The State does not have the money for this, so it is taking huge loans, 80% (!) Of GDP. What will happen on July 1? Are there a million jobs waiting? No. So we need to act now to encourage businesses, create jobs, prepare people to leave the lockdown.
It is possible otherwise.