On Saturday, after everyone knew that Israel was about to enter a lockdown because of a coronavirus outbreak similar to ones seen elsewhere in the world, I went to do some shopping at one of the big supermarkets in Jaffa, and was surprised to see that many of the shoppers were walking around without masks. (Some had their masks around their necks, some covered only their mouths, and others were entirely without). Some of the employees were without masks, as well. The rule mandating masks in public was being so broadly flouted that there was no point in calling anyone out. One could only hope that city inspectors or the police might show up.
But that supermarket in Jaffa represents a much wider, dangerous, and shameful phenomenon in Israel, of the public health regulations put in place to stop the spread of coronavirus being dismissed. We see this in some hotels, restaurants, in the weddings and other mass gatherings that continued to be held (in every sector of the population), where the rules are blatantly disregarded. What's more, high-ranking politicians, government ministers, mayors, rabbis, and celebrities take part, people who have an influence on public opinion and behavior.
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The mass dismissal of the law and the public health restrictions – particularly when it comes to caps on the number of people allowed to participate in events; wearing masks outside; and maintaining social distancing – is one of the reasons, albeit not the only one, for the sharp rise in the number of cases. But our irresponsible blowing off of steam is now forcing us all to mark the High Holidays under a strict lockdown, after which the battle will continue.
There are many reasons why the coronavirus rules are being so widely ignored, putting us all at risk. One is the disgraceful lack of enforcement by police and local authorities. Another is poor public outreach by the Health Ministry. Yet another is certain key public figures, some of whom hold the highest public positions in the country, who openly break the rules. And in addition to all these, there is the collective influence of the "coronavirus denial cult" that includes a handful of doctors – some of whom are senior hospital administrators – academics, and politicians.
These COVID deniers repeat the messages that "coronavirus is just a flu," "there was never a first wave," "a lockdown doesn't prevent the spread of the virus," and "the dangers of coronavirus are being intentionally exaggerated by Health Ministry officials, the government, and the prime minister." They say that basically, there is no need to do almost anything to prevent the spread of the virus. Some didn't hesitate to make scandalous, immoral remarks how we need to accept the fact that thousands of elderly patients will die of the virus, and that Israel should adopt the policy that Sweden did, in which the country did not instate any lockdown and 6,000 people died.
However, we in the media also carry a large part of the blame for the destructive influence the corona deniers have on the Israeli public. Some of them, especially the ones who carry the title "professor" and who manage or managed major hospitals, are a continual presence in television studios and other media outlets. Some have turned into stars and their shocking messages echo.
This doesn't mean that no one can express opinions that oppose the Health ministry, but the media must be responsible when it gives these opinions a platform, and it needs to give scientists and medical experts the opportunity to contradict the deniers' nonsense. In many cases, even on the most prestigious, most-watched programs, that isn't being done, and unlike media figures – who have an obligation to the public – the corona deniers are given a free stage without any requirements to secure responses to what they are saying. There are also cases in which the media could consider whether to allow them the platform at all.
The corona deniers' growing influence is destructive and puts Israelis' lives at risk and increases the spread of the virus, but thus far, even top officials at the Health Ministry are left stuttering and have yet to put into action a clear public outreach plan designed to curtail the influence of the deniers. Even national coronavirus coordinator Professor Ronni Gamzu hasn't taken any brave public outreach action to counter the deniers, even though some of them are from the government-funded Sourasky Medical Center, which he himself manages.
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