COVID-19: Israeli experts warn of 5th wave, say next virus variant could be 'problematic'

To avoid another surge in COVID-19 infections, Israeli health experts have said that the public should not be complacent. Even though Israel has inoculated more than half of its population with two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, Israeli experts have sounded the alarm that a fifth wave of the pandemic is on its way and that it may hit the nation as early as December. They said that the public still needs to adhere to regulations set by the government, and local authorities, for their part, should be quick to respond to the challenges posed by the pandemic. 

According to Sputnik, Professor Cyrille Cohen, a member of the advisory committee for clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine at the Israeli Ministry of Health, explained that the experts’ concerns are understandable, especially as the pace of coronavirus vaccinations has slowed down in the past couple of weeks. Cohen said that a couple of weeks ago, Israelis were in a rush to get the third jab because of the green pass. However, now, with the pass coming into effect, the urgency has gone. 

Next COVID variant could be ‘problematic’ 

The Israeli professor went on to note that last week, the nation registered its first case of a sub-variant of the Delta Strain. Therefore, Cohen said that the public should be more cautious and take all precautionary measures to avoid another wave. “We need to be prepared,” he added.  

Further, Cohen said that he believes that the next variant of the deadly virus, the so-called Omega, might be “problematic”. If this is the case, the Israeli government needs to control borders and be more stringent with testing, the professor said. He also added that in general, the country needs to be faster in responding to the challenges posed by the virus. 

Moreover, the health expert stated that right now it might look like that the fifth wave of coronavirus is intangible, but it is still a possibility, he warned. Cohen said that the way to tackle it is to be “quick” in response and adhere to the regulations. He added that the government also needs to put maximum efforts into vaccinating those who haven’t done so already and make sure that everyone in Israel gets the jab. 

Precautionary measures 

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Israeli has already taken several precautionary measures to avoid another wave of the deadly virus. According to Sputnik, public offices and businesses in Israel require visitors to show their green passes at the entrance. Face masks are still mandatory and mass gatherings are limited. Additionally, the Ben Gurion International Airport will be opened to foreigners starting 1 November and it will only admit vaccinated people. Inoculated travellers will also be permitted without the need to quarantine themselves. 

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