Riding The Fourth Wave

Jerusalem Magazine

C-19

Israel has reached another record, nearly 10,000 cases of Covid 19 have been recorded for the second day in a row. Israel is now the 8th most infected nation, per capita, in the world. On Tuesday Israel recorded 9,891 cases, with 1,118 hospitalized, 692 in serious condition, 129 on ventilators, and 6,880 deaths since the outbreak of the virus.

According to Ynetnews, Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis told Ynet that “if more measures are not taken to limit contact between people in public spaces, new COVID-19 cases will continue to skyrocket. Sources in the Health Ministry told Ynet that they are mulling recommending tightening restrictions on gatherings to 100 people in confined spaces and 200 in open areas.

Alroy-Preis also urged Israelis eligible to get the third vaccine booster shot to get it, saying the latest data shows it is very effective. "About a week or ten days after receiving the booster shot, protection [against the virus] in vaccinated is four times higher than in those who did not receive it."

Israel has also lowered the age for those who qualify for a ‘booster’ to 30 and over. Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said he expects the ‘booster’ to become available soon to all Israelis 12 and up, provided five months have passed since their second shot. The Health Ministry recently published data that only 0.2% of Israelis who received the booster caught Covid-19 with only 88 serious cases out of 1.1 million recipients of the 3rd vaccination. UPDATE: Channel 12 TV news reported on Wednesday that according to the Health Ministry the ‘booster’ provides 97% protection against the Covid-19 virus 16 days after administration of the shot. According to Ynetnews, a new large Israeli research study also showed that "Unvaccinated virus patients were 4 times more likely to develop myocarditis (heart inflammation) than fully jabbed people."

According to the Israel Health Ministry, once 5 million Israelis have received their third Covid-19 Booster shot the country can overcome the current outbreak of the Delta variant. So far about 1.65 million Israelis have received the third dose. Health ministry sources say they have seen a steady decline in the “R” factor, the rate which an infection spreads, due to the ‘booster’ in the over 60 population.

But according to Prof. Salman Zarka, Israel’s current COVID-19 czar, “The world was changed by the virus.” He said Israel thought the war was over and Israel had won but that was only a battle. “The war is still here.” He said Israel should have kept pushing for inoculations during the lull in infections “and didn’t.” He said the virus would be with us “for months, maybe years and vaccinations and overcrowding would have to be avoided.” He said preparations are needed for a possible 5th wave.

In the USA, the CDC, Center for Disease Control, has issued a report that finds those with two vaccinations are nearly 30 times more protected than those unvaccinated. So far in the world 214,176,634 people have been infected with 4,469,017 deaths and 23,967,299 active cases. In the USA, 38,868,925 cases have been reported with 648,161 deaths and 7,701,120 active cases. The top ten countries in infections: USA, India, Brazil, Russia, France, UK, Turkey, Argentina, Colombia and Spain. California leads the list of the ten most infected states in the USA followed by Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and New Jersey.

Researchers have also found that travelers arriving in Israel are among the primary source of the infection. As a result, Israel had issued a long list of ‘red’ no-fly countries. where travel was forbidden without special permission. New rules issued on Wednesday say that only four remain ‘red.’ They are Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey. Those travelers arriving in Israel, who are vaccinated or recovered, coming from a country deemed ‘yellow’ will be required to provide a negative test, or undergo a 24-hour isolation, whichever comes first. Yellow countries are Bahrain, Hong Kong, Hungary, Taiwan, New Zealand, China, Singapore, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. All the rest are Orange and travelers arriving from those countries will be required to undergo between seven and 14 days of isolation. Unvaccinated people no matter where they arrive from must be isolated for up to 14 days.

Israel’s Health Ministry is actively taking steps to quell the rise in the Delta variant. Limitations have been set by Israel’s Corona Cabinet limiting indoor gatherings to 100 and outdoor gatherings to 400. Masks are required at all indoor areas except a persons’ home. TV news reported that nearly 14,000 fines were issued for those not wearing masks indoors. A green pass, proving full vaccination, or a negative test result, is required upon entering an event, gym, theater or other indoor function. Other measures are rapid tests outside wedding halls and other events.

Israel has also began a serology test for children to prove they were not infected with the virus before attending school. Israeli schools open on September 1st.The serology tests were administered by Israel’s Home Front Command at 122 stations around the country. However, the roll-out of this program ran into technical difficulties causing long lines of angry parents. As a consequence the program was halted until the bugs could be worked out.

So far, 5.5 million Israelis have received two doses of the vaccine but more than one-million Israelis have as yet to take the first shot. 37,000 of them work in the education system. The Health Ministry has suggested that unless a teacher show proof of vaccination they not be allowed to work or be paid. This suggestion has been met with disdain by some unvaccinated teachers who feel the move is an infringement on their rights. Most of the unvaccinated are in the Haredi and/or Arab communities. On Tuesday, revered ultra-Orthodox leader, Rabbi David Kanievsky issued an order that all teachers in Haredi schools must be vaccinated or they will not be allowed to teach. The Haredi and Arab communities have shown a sharp spike in the rate of infections in their communities.

On Tuesday Nitzan Horowitz, Israel’s Minister of Health, announced a new program where mobile units will be sent into Israeli towns and villages with low innoculations rates in order to bring the vaccine to people who have not yet received even the first shot. According to Horowitz, there is a socio-economic disparity between those who have received the vaccines and those who haven’t. He said research has shown that most of the unvaccinated come from the poorer communities, mainly either Haredi, (ultra-orthodox) or Arab. The mobile units will travel to these communities and even go so far as to knock on doors of those shown to be unvaccinated to help them get the shot. Horowitz said the many unvaccinated simply can’t afford to take time off from work or watching the children to get vaccinated.

New Treatments

A research team from Hebrew University of Jerusalem has found that that fenofibrate, a generic fat-lowering medication and one of America’s most prescribed medicines, could help COVID-19 patients. According to the TimesofIsrael, “The team has given the drug to 15 serious COVID-19 patients at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. All were receiving oxygen, yet all were discharged during the course of the 10-day trial.” The treatment would cost as little as $1.50 a day. Hebrew University’s Research team leader, Prof. Yaakov Nahmias,  said that in his trial 93% of patients came off of oxygen within a week and none experienced a cytokine storm, the immune overreaction which often causes C-19 deterioration. Fenofibrate is an FDA-approved oral medication. The results of the Israeli study were published on Researchsquare.com and are currently under peer review.

GAZA

The IDF is beefing up forces along the Gaza/Israel border in anticipation of another riot similar to the one Israel experienced last Saturday. UPDATE: 1,000 Gazans rioted at the border and were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. 14 Gazans were injured. According to the TimesofIsrael serious violence was averted when Hamas stationed operatives in yellow vests in front of the mob. Analysts say that the US pressured Egypt who in turn pressured Hamas to prevent a melee similar to that last Saturday. Then, hundreds of Gazans protested near the border fence and then charged forward. One Gazan. Osama Adaeej, 32, who Hamas says was an operative in its armed wing, was killed. One Israeli soldier, Barel Shmueli, 21, was shot in the head and is still alive but in critical condition. During the riot hundreds of Palestinians converged on the border, burning tires and throwing stones. Israeli troops responded with tear gas, sound grenades, and Ruger bullets, a small-caliber form of live fire that is usually less lethal than normal rounds.

According to Alex Fishman, writing on the opinion page of Ynetnews, Saturday’s riots and those planned for the next few days were meant to embarrass Israel’s PM Naftali Bennet, who is currently in Washington meeting with US President Biden. Fishman says that Hamas wants to press the US to be “more involved” in the reconstruction of Gaza following the May 11 war. Hamas expects the US to be an “active partner” in the reconstruction. According to Fishman Israel has recently opened the borders, closed since the war, and issued work permits for thousands of Gazans allowing them to enter Israel, as well as allowing building supplies and electronic goods to cross the border.

However, Hamas wants more than these tokens of normalcy. A key issue is the millions of dollars donated by Qatar that Hamas needs each month to pay salaries and keep their government in power. Israel has worked out a program with the UN where the money will be transferred to a Palestinian Authority bank and then to the Gazan authorities keeping the cash out of Hamas’ hands. Hamas head Sinwar has rejected this plan. The protests last Saturday and in those expected in the upcoming days are meant to pressure Biden to convince Bennett to rethink the present strategy. According to Gal Berger, Arab affairs correspondent on Israel TV’s channel 11, Hamas’ Sinwar is facing a threat to his leadership because of unrest in Gaza that is beset by high unemployment, with extreme fuel and food shortages.

Benny Gantz, Israel’s Minister of Defense

IRAN

Upon departing Israel for the USA, Israel’s PM Bennett has said that Iran is the primary issue on his agenda in talks with US President Biden. Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz told a gathering of diplomats on Wednesday that Iran is only two months away from acquiring the materials necessary for a nuclear weapon.” Gantz also said that Iran has attacked Israeli ships. Recently bomb-laden drones attacked an Israeli operated ship, killing a British and Rumanian seaman. Gantz said that “Iran has the intention to destroy Israel and is working on developing the means to do so.” He did not rule out the possibility that Israel would have to take action in the future in order to prevent a nuclear Iran. “All of Iran’s acts of aggression thus far have been conducted without nuclear capabilities. Imagine what will happen if Iran Achieves nuclear capabilities.”

PM Bennet is reportedly trying to stitch together a coalition of Western nations to take on Iran. So far, the US attempts to get Iran back to the negotiating table to talk about their nuclear program have been rebuffed by Tehran.

SPORT

Israeli Arab Iyad Shalabi, 34, from Shfaram, won a gold medal in the Tokyo paralympic games in the 100m backstroke. Shalabi was the first Israeli Arab ever to win an Paralympic medal. Shalabi has been paralyzed from the age of twelve after he fell from the rooftop of a building. Israeli athletes have won 375 Paralympic medals and 13 Olympic medals. The Paralympic games were founded by Ludwig Guttman, a leading Jewish neurosurgeon specializing in spinal injuries, who had escaped Germany in 1939 for the United Kingdom. Guttman reportedly introduced the competition as a way to rehabiliate paraplegic patients and boost their self esteem. The first recognized Paralympic games were held in Rome, Italy in 1960.