We could beat Covid-19 variant without lockdown, says Israeli PM

Naftali Bennett says a new lockdown would be a last resort

Israelis shop in the central market of the coastal city of Netanya. AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Wednesday that the country could beat a concerning rise in new coronavirus cases without a nationwide shutdown.

But Mr Bennett said that would depend in part on people wearing masks indoors to suppress the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

He said he had instructed police to increase enforcement of the mask rule, with large fines for people who break it.

“That’s the fair thing to do, because it’s wrong to have people who are lazy and hurt the rest of the public,” Mr Bennett said.

A national shutdown, he said, was “a last resort", a reflection of the government’s effort to keep Israel’s economy strong.

“Stop shaking hands,” he told Israelis, suggesting an elbow bump instead. “Stop kissing and hugging except within the family.”

He also urged Israelis not to travel abroad as the Delta variant spreads in Europe and elsewhere.

New daily infections in Israel climbed to more than 700 on Wednesday, despite one of the world’s fastest inoculation campaigns.

More than 5.7 million people of Israel’s population of 9.3 million have been vaccinated at least once. About 5.2 million people have received two doses.

Israel has a mask-wearing mandate for people gathering indoors but adherence is poor, even on public transport and in hospitals, and enforcement is lax.

Most cases are mild and serious cases remain relatively low, but almost all new cases are due to the highly contagious Delta variant.

Mr Bennett also announced that Prof Salman Zarka, head of the Ziv Medical Centre in northern Israel, would oversee the country’s response as the new coronavirus chief.

Prof Zarka, a member of Israel’s Druze minority, formerly commanded the Israeli army’s medical corps and ran the Israeli field hospital providing humanitarian aid to Syrians.