Israel, a global leader in COVID vaccinations, finds limits

When it comes to fighting coronavirus, Israel is discovering limits of vaccines. country famous for its high-tech prowess and spirit of invation is home to world's speediest vaccination drive, fueled from top by national pride and a deep longing to start “getting back to life," as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put it.

But experts say reopening country will still take months, complicated by coronavirus mutations that have spre from Britain and South Africa, a refusal among some sectors to here to safety rules and wobbles in pace of vaccinations of people under 60. While government is expected to begin easing a third nationwide lockdown in coming days, re are likely to be furr, partial closings as threat ebbs and flows.

“This is going to be a balancing act,” said Eyal Leshem, director of Center for Travel Medicine and Tropical Diseases at Sheba Medical Center.

In an impressive feat, more than a third of Israel's 9.3 million people have received at least one shot in mere weeks, and over 1.9 million have gotten both doses, perhaps putting country on track to iculate nearly its entire ult population by end of March. Alongside praise for its speed, Israel has come under global criticism for excluding Palestinians in Israeli-occupied West Bank. situation has drawn attention to global disparity in access to vaccines between rich and poor countries .

Rights groups say Israel has obligation as an occupying power to vaccinate Palestinians. Israel denies having such a responsibility, and says its priority is its own citizens. Neverless, Israel this week for first time transferred 5,000 doses of Moderna vaccine to Palestinian Authority to iculate medical workers.

In Israel, for first time, researchers are starting to see effects of vaccinations, giving or nations a very early glimpse of what might lie ahe for m. Netanyahu on Thursday said that among people over 60, first group vaccinated, serious cases of hospitalizations have dropped 26% and confirmed infections have fallen 45% over past 16 days.

“This is a direct result of vaccinations,” he said. “ vaccines work.”

But or key indicators, including deaths and new infections, remain high, in part because of fast-spreing mutations and month-long lag time before vaccine shows its full benefits. Israel has been reporting some 7,000 new infections a day, one of highest rates in developed world. Nearly 5,000 people have died, more than a quarter of m in January alone.

Israel has certain vants that suggest its success at vaccinations may t be easily duplicated elsewhere. It is small, with 9.3 million people. It has a centralized and digitized system of health care, delivered through just four HMOs. And its leer, Netanyahu, has me vaccination drive a centerpiece of his bid for reelection in March , personally negotiating deals with CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna. Still, experts around world are watching erly.

“Israel’s aggressive iculation program demonstrates that it is indeed possible for a country to get vaccines into people’s arms quickly and efficiently,” said Jonathan Crane, a bioethicist at Emory University in Atlanta.

In an email, he praised centralized effort, compared with “piecemeal” way vaccines in countries like U.S. are being delivered by various jurisdictions. Even with se early signs of success, it’s increasingly clear that re will be pandemic day-after, a celebratory moment when people are cleared to flood back to work, hold large family garings or resume social lives y once knew.

Reopening will depend on many factors, including efforts to halt spre of highly contagious variants and wher public takes proper precautions. Many Israelis were horrified this week by scenes of big ultra-Orthodox funerals for two revered rabbis, with most mourners mask-free. Some parts of population, including Arab and ultra-Orthodox sectors and younger ults, have shown an apparent reluctance to get vaccinated, which could also hinder effort to achieve “herd immunity” and stop virus.

“All of Europe is waiting for vaccines, and here people don’t want to get vaccinated?” Sara Baruch said after receiving her second dose on Wednesday in Tel Aviv. “It’s strange.”

She said it is a “big mistake” if trend continues: “We won’t be able to go on a holiday and to go back to rmal life we h before.” vaccination campaign has become a feature of pop culture and a point of national pride. Israelis proudly post photos on social media showing mselves getting vaccinated, and one HMO serves cappuccis afterward so people can be monitored for side effects before y leave.

Experts have recommended a grual reopening of country, though political leers will make final decision. Closings and reopenings, experts say, will be a cost-benefit analysis that will change according to course of outbreak and state of ecomy.

Dr. Nav Davidovitch, a member of a government visory panel, said young children along with vaccinated high school students over 16 should be allowed to return to school in first st, and only teachers who have been iculated should be in class. Street shops and restaurants might open for takeout only, followed in later sts by malls and cultural events opened only to people who have been vaccinated.

He said steps should be staggered every two weeks, with a constant eye on infection rates, testing and more vaccinations. Indoor and outdoor public garings should continue to be limited for a while, he said. Social distancing and masks will be required for foreseeable future. “It will be very grual in coming months,” said Davidovitch, director of school of public health at Israel's Ben-Gurion University. “Vaccinations are very important, but y are t going to solve all problems.” 

(Im Credits: AP)