If anyone believes that the Corona crisis was waning, in particular in Israel, he had better think again. True, at the moment, the number of newly diagnosed patients is low, and the R-number (the indication of the pandemic spreading or not) hovers around one. A lot of credit must go to the Health ministry and its capable professionals, who were not only able to come up with the right measures, but also were able to convince the politicians, to adopt these measures and implement and enforce them. The decision to move forward with the booster injection has allowed Israel to live with and next to, the Corona, with minimal disruption in daily lives. (admittedly, there are branches in the Israeli economy that have suffered severely and are still suffering, particular in the tourism industry, but they are the exception, and not the rule).
On the contrary, in Europe, the situation is deteriorating rapidly and the number of infections is running amok, with hospitals in many countries struggling to keep up. In countries like Holland and Belgium, regular hospital care is buckling under the load of the Corona patients and planned operations, both the urgent ones and surely the less urgent, are being postponed and nobody really knows until when.
The latest “Variant”, named “OMICRON” by the WHO, is the fifth of the thirteen known variants, that was added to the list of “Variants of Concern”. While still not everything is known about this latest version of the disease, it is already clear that it spreads rapidly, but the good news appears to be that the vaccines do appear to be holding up against it and especially, after having received the booster shot, the chances of becoming seriously ill are apparently small. As a result, in Europe the campaign to have people take the booster shot is gearing up and intentions are to have significant numbers of especially older people, vaccinated with the booster as soon as possible. But they very well may be too late already. The number of identified cases of the Omicron variant is growing and the variant may be unstoppable already. Israel, that closed its borders very quickly when the news of the new variant erupted, has seven confirmed cases to date and a few dozen suspect infections.
While up till now it is unclear what the effect of the Omicron variant will be, it is high time, people start to realize that the only really effective defense against this, and all previous variants, is the vaccination.
It is truly amazing that even today, almost a year after the vaccination campaigns around the world got started, millions of people have received at least one shot, and many two and three, there are still people who decide not to get vaccinated for a variety of (mostly ridiculous) reasons. It is overwhelmingly clear that the vaccine protects against the virus, will in most cases prevent infection, and will protect against serious disease requiring hospitalization and worse. So what are these people waiting for? The vaccine is not safe? The vaccine contains a microchip that will allow the government to track you? The vaccine is a plot by pharmaceutical companies to increase profits? The corona virus is a punishment from God? The virus is no more than the flu and should be ignored?
There is no end to the sometimes incredible arguments that are being used not to get vaccinated, but it is time for governments to realize that the only way to get some control over the corona virus and its spread, is vaccination. In Europe, more and more voices are heard to make vaccination mandatory or at least take more serious measures against those that are not vaccinated. In Austria, non-vaccinated people are not allowed out of their house except for minimum basics, in Belgium suggestions were made (by a hospital director, no less), to refuse or reduce hospital services to non-vaccinated patients, and at a minimum to not allow them to take the space in Intensive Care units and elsewhere, of patients that have “regular” needs like a heart operation or a knee replacement. Germany is seriously considering mandatory vaccination, while in Holland physicians are more and more discussing the options that will be left to them when “Code Black” is reached, whereby the number of patients in the hospital is more than they can handle and a decision on whom to accept in the Intensive Care Unit needs to be made, not based on medical considerations. No-one is saying it out loud at this point, but clearly, when the situation arises, the most obvious consideration will need to be if the patient is vaccinated or not.
A mandatory vaccination is a very big step, and for all kind of reasons, moral, medical, humane and in the end possibly also a practical one, maybe a bridge too far. But to place restrictions on people who decided not to get vaccinated, is, it appears highly overdue. The comparison, with driving a car is far-fetched, but self-explanatory: in order to be allowed to drive a car, you need a driver’s license. Nobody will be able to force you to take out a driver’s license, but if you decide not to, you will not be allowed to drive. The rational is simple. Without a driver’s license you put others in your surroundings (on the road), at risk. If you are not vaccinated, nobody will force you to get the shots, but if you don’t, you are a risk to your surroundings, and thus, your freedom of movement will be restricted. Some such limitations are already in force in several countries, and it has resulted in an increase in vaccinations but not a very significant one, and more, and more stringent restrictions will be required, and soon.
The problem with these restrictions is and will be, enforcement. Again, like with a driver’s license, in most cases, it is revealed that a driver did not have a license only after he caused an accident, and in particular with the Corona virus, an after-the-fact revelation will be too late, if it is found out at all. (At mass events where large-scale infection did take place, in most cases, the perpetrator (or perpetrators) was never found).
There are many ways to enforce adherence to the restrictions by people who are not vaccinated, and, like in most such cases, it must be a combination of inspection and punishment. A wide-ranging inspection system must be designed, one that will make the restaurants, bars, nightclubs, museums, cinemas etc. to check every visitor with the consequence of heavy fines for both the non-vaccinated and the establishment when cross-checks are done (and they will need to be done frequently). In addition, spot checks at various points with the same heavy fines for non-vaccinated will be needed at various locations and establishments. No doubt, in Israel as well as elsewhere there are experts with a much better insight in how to do this in such a way that it also becomes effective. It will require manpower, it will cost a lot of money, and it will cause significant inconvenience for those who are vaccinated, but it will both improve the health situation and in addition will most likely result in increased vaccination.
Corona is here to stay. The Greek Alphabet (which has given the names to the variants that develop) only has twenty-four letters. Let’s hope that we won’t need all of them.
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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