The lockdown method of preventing infections has exhausted itself. The lockdown, as it is implemented today, causes immense immense harm to the economy, society, and public health (apart from the coronavirus), and things simply cannot keep going on this way. The public has lost faith completely, and a new direction is required. Public health officials have two basic methods in their tool bag for contending with infectious diseases, and we are fully using both in Israel: lockdown and vaccinations.
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After almost a year of restrictions and lockdowns to varying degrees, there's room for new ways of thinking about the proper utilization of lockdowns, particularly sweeping ones. There's no arguing that the method works, that's clear. During a lockdown, people come into far less contact with one another, such that the virus cannot infect more people. The question beckons whether this has indeed been the case throughout this current lockdown in Israel and whether people can cope with such demands over time. It appears the answer is no.
The present situation is problematic. We have two opposites. On one hand, the state has managed to import vaccines and make them accessible, to the point that a decent percentage of the population, specifically those over 60 years old, have been vaccinated. But most of those who have contracted the virus are under 60, and they are the ones infecting others. Most young people as of now have not received two doses of the vaccination. On the other hand, the virus itself is mutating, and there are possibly several variants of the virus that are more potent and infectious. This situation changes the picture. We must also take into account that these mutations won't stop. New variants will be discovered down the road; there's no arguing this.
The main problem right now is the public's failure to follow lockdown guidelines, indicating general fatigue. This isn't just a problem in Israel but across the globe. An entire country consisting of subpopulations with different values and cultural norms cannot be kept under harsh lockdown and equal restrictions for an extended period of time. The method has run its course.
The public does not feel obligated to stringently adhere to the strict guidelines. What's worse, these guidelines are not always clear while their disparate enforcement only exacerbates the lack of faith in the government, the authorities and the police. The confusing combination of a partially inoculated public, people's inability or unwilingness to stay under lockdown, and the more infectious mutations, has led to the absurd situation whereby despite the government's imposition of a countrywide lockdown almost a month ago − the number of confirmed cases is not dropping.
So what can be done? The country must by released from the tight lockdown based on the number of contacts and gatherings between people in each place, and based on the possibility of restrciting said gatherings and contacts. A large portion of the responsibility must now fall on the public itself. This is not a green light for people to simply do as they please, rather for building a framework with which people can live and cope. We must also initiate the "green passport" program. The concept of a green passport is excellent, which beyond kickstarting the economy will also incentivize people to vaccinate.
Anyone who refuses to vaccinate will be solely responsible, but cannot be allowed to endanger others who did vaccinate but don't know the extent to which they are truly vaccinated. All restrictions imposed under the current lockdown must be thoroughly reexamined. We must learn to live with the coronavirus. Life isn't the same as before, but we must allow life to continue in the shadow of the virus.
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