Why Israel completely changes its strategy against Omicron

“Here, you can drink your coffee standing in a bar! “, Ironically Julien Bhaloul, former Franco-Israeli journalist residing in Tel Aviv. A reference to the new restrictions imposed in France since January 3. According to the latest figures, Israel, where 64.8% of the population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, would have around 15,000 new cases on average per day over a week. On December 25, that figure peaked at 1,200.

Side hospitalizations, the increase is clear, but slow. There are now 222 serious cases, up from 78 on December 18. This is to say if the country, often cited as an example, is not immune to the outbreak due to Omicron. Yet Israel’s strategy appears to have changed dramatically in recent days.

Fewer restrictions in the midst of the Omicron wave

Life there seems to be more “normal” than in many European countries, some of which have reimposed curfews and other restrictions. “Honestly, nobody understands anything about the protocol anymore,” assures Julien Bahloul, who has lived in Israel for six years. There are almost no more restrictions. Normally, the mask is imposed indoors, but not outdoors, the sanitary pass is required everywhere, but never verified, restaurants, bars, clubs, concerts remain open. Even the border closure has just been withdrawn! “

Closed to many countries since early December, Israel has been welcoming nationals since Sunday, provided they present a negative PCR or antigen test from countries classified as orange. Including France and Belgium.

Omicron and the Pfizer pill, two fundamental innovations

Fewer restrictions in the face of an outbreak of contamination? The country had however accustomed its inhabitants to be more careful… It must be said that two main parameters have changed the equation. First, access to Paxlovid, a pill developed by Pfizer that prevents severe cases for 90% of patients. Israel began receiving them on December 30. “It was a year to the day after the arrival of the Pfizer vaccines, and it took place in the same hysteria: we filmed the arrival of the boxes at the airport,” said the former journalist. The government has ensured that all patients needing this early treatment could have access to it.

Second novelty: the Omicron variant, extremely contagious but less lethal. As everywhere in Europe, contaminations are exploding… “Today, there is a certain inevitability, we say to ourselves that we are going to catch it anyway, whether it is in a club, on the bus, at the gym … So you might as well live normally! », Summarizes Julien Bahloul. In addition, the screening system can no longer follow. Since Friday, the government has therefore changed things: people over 60, immunocompromised and unvaccinated, have priority for PCRs. Others can do antigens or self-tests.

“We saw huge queues in front of the screening centers,” explains this Franco-Israeli. The problem is that people at risk received their results too late. However, Pfizer’s medication must be taken within the first five days of infection. If it is taken late, the risk of hospitalization remains. “

“Living with”, a radical change in strategy

For Julien Bahloul, this new strategy is a real turnaround. “The Israelis were told ‘if you are in contact, you can do a self-test at home.’ So there is no more follow-up, no more contact tracing, he continues. Before, we were hunted. The government is forgoing this case verification strategy and is focusing on those at risk. “

But other considerations obviously came into play. Foremost among which is the economy. “This government has emphasized that confinements have an impact on the economy, the lives of couples, children, mental health… As long as we are not on the edge of the abyss, we have to live with it. We are no longer in 2020 where we had no tools. Today, we have three: the government bases its strategy on the vaccine, the drug Pfizer and the pass. “

A perilous bet?

Israel’s coronavirus coordinator gave another version of the story on i24NEWS last Thursday. “We don’t believe in collective immunity; people who have been infected with the Delta variant have been re-infected with Omicron. We have no data that allows us to say that collective immunity with Omicron would protect us, no one said that it would be the last variant or the last wave, ”added Salman Zarka.

So why reopen the borders? “Israel is already a red country, so we cannot prohibit Israelis from going to the red countries. It is for this reason that we have decided to cancel the list of red countries, ”he insisted.

“Collective immunity is a word that they have difficulty accepting, criticizes Julien Bahloul. In reality, however, this is what is happening. Except that they protect the most at risk. Since the beginning of January, people over 60, those with co-morbidities and caregivers, the first to have received the injections, can take a fourth dose. With what result? It multiplies antibodies by five, according to a study from Sheba Hospital, near Tel Aviv. But beware, the clinical trial only involves 150 caregivers and only one week after the injection. “We hoped for better, admits Julien Bahloul, but we will see two weeks after the injection if the booster effect is greater. “

Opening everything – or almost everything – in the midst of the Omicron wave seems like a risky bet. “A few days ago, the government was praised: ‘no confinement, bravo,’ remarks Julien Bahloul. In recent days, we are seeing a change. All sites, left and right, criticize him. Experts write “we risk experiencing an Omicron wave of two or three weeks, but will the government hold?” Or change strategy. An umpteenth time.