Israel Faces Surge of COVID Infections, Despite High Vaccination Rate

Israel Faces Surge of COVID Infections, Despite High Vaccination Rate.

The fourth wave of infections to hit the nation means that Israel is now an international COVID-19 hotspot.

As the infection rate has more than doubled in the past week.

The Israeli government is considering significant mitigation measures, including another national lockdown.

I believe we are at war, Prof. Salman Zarka, Israel’s Coronavirus Commissioner, via 'The New York Times'.

Israeli COVID-19 experts say that the early protocols enforced seemed like the correct path at the time.

Everyone went about the business of trying to put the memory of a very difficult year and a half behind them, Prof. Ran Balicer, Israel COVID-19 Panel, via 'The New York Times'.

At that point in time, the paradigm for many was that Israel is the most vaccinated country in the world, ... , Prof. Ran Balicer, Israel COVID-19 Panel, via 'The New York Times'.

... that vaccinated people rarely become infected, that even more rarely do they become severely ill and that basically, with very few precautions in place, .., Prof. Ran Balicer, Israel COVID-19 Panel, via 'The New York Times'.

... the population was very close to herd immunity, all things considered.

That was not a mistake, Prof. Ran Balicer, Israel COVID-19 Panel, via 'The New York Times'.

Once considered the example of "how to beat the infection," Israel is now contending with keeping its citizens safe.

It was only in the last two weeks that a sense of urgency returned.

What we are doing now, we needed to do in July, Prof. Nadav Davidovitch, Israel COVID-19 Panel, via 'The New York Times'.

The Israeli public has not yet absorbed that we are in a fourth, significant wave, Tomer Lotan, Director General of the Ministry of Public Security, via 'The New York Times'.

It’s hard to make the switch in public discourse and say, ‘Listen, we are in a catastrophe.’, Tomer Lotan, Director General of the Ministry of Public Security, via 'The New York Times'.

The rising infection rates in a nation with high vaccination rates could be indicative of a blanket need for booster shots