Israel re-introduces coronavirus restrictions as cases soar

Israel has announced a barrage of new coronavirus restrictions this week in the wake of a dramatic uptick in cases. The move comes as over 7,600 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Israel yesterday – the highest daily tally since the peak of the second wave in January this year.

As of next week, restrictions on the number of people gathering indoors will come into place and many events and venues will only open for “Green Pass” vaccination passport holders – a pass proving that a person is either fully vaccinated or recovered from the disease. For private events and for venues excluded from the Green Pass programme, no more than 50 people can gather indoors or 100 outdoors. Venues in the programme can host up to 1000 indoors and 5000 outdoors.

Israel’s vaccination passport scheme is stringent: even non-inoculated children must take a covid test to enter events and venues. The state will cover the cost of tests for under-12s, but not for children any older.    

The government is also purportedly considering a lockdown over the Jewish High Holidays in early September to halt intergenerational transmission.

This rise in cases comes despite the fact that Israel has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. As much as 80% of the adult population is vaccinated, and 60% of the population as a whole. In July, the country began offering third vaccinations to immunosuppressed people and those over 60. It is thought that over 600,000 Israelis have now received a booster shot.

In the past couple of months, life had been proceeding along fairly normal lines in Israel: on 1 June, capacity limits were lifted in public spaces and entry to many establishments no longer required the Green Pass. On 15 June, the mandate to wear a mask indoors was lifted, before being reintroduced only ten days later.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet said that 90 percent of new cases were in the over 50s, and has asked all citizens over 50 to be “very careful”. The seven-day average of Covid-deaths is currently 12, someway below the second-wave peak of 65. Some 663 Israelis have been hospitalised, and 76 are in intensive care. Back in January, 340 people were intensive care. The seven-day average of cases per 100,000 people is 51 – in the UK it is 41.

Cases are occurring in both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. A July report from Israel’s Ministry of Health found that the Pfizer vaccine was only 39% effective at preventing infection thanks to the growing dominance of the Delta variant. Despite this low efficacy rate, the vaccine is still 88% effective against hospitalisation and 91% effective in preventing severe illness. 

The situation in Israel is one the rest of the world is watching with some concern. With their remarkably rapid vaccination programme, and speedy return to normality, the country had been a model of future post-covid normality –  a normality that now appears to be under threat.