The head of Israel's largest hospital and a government advisor on the coronavirus on Tuesday expressed his support for the decision to impose a nighttime curfew in an effort to stem the country's surging infection rates.
According to Prof. Arnon Afek, acting director of Sheba Medical Center, the nighttime curfew expected to run from Wednesday until January 2 is a logical step although its effectiveness does remain in doubt.
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Prof. Arnon Afek, the acting head of Sheba Medical Center and government advisor on coronavirus
(Photo: Ido Erez)
"It makes sense to try a nighttime curfew. I'm afraid it won't help, but at least we'll prove to all those who get hurt by the lockdowns that we made every effort," Afek told Ynet on Tuesday.
The coronavirus cabinet decided Monday to impose the nightly curfew, which include restrictions on traffic and movement, although the specific hours in which it will be in effect were yet to be determined.
The National Security Council said the curfew aimed to prevent gatherings on Hanukkah, Christmas and on New Year's EVe.
Afek said the government was trying to avoid the damage caused by the two previous nationwide lockdowns Israel implemented in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. The most recent one covered the Jewish High Holidays that began mid-September.
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A police checkpoint in Tel Aviv during the lockdown for the Jewish High Holidays
(Photo: AFP)
“We have seen that during the holidays, gatherings tend to cause a jump in morbidity," Afek said.
"Previously we enacted a closure that was very effective but the damage it caused was great. This time the government is trying to see if a nighttime closure will prevent the same gatherings. We do not know if it will help or not. No one knows, but we are trying.”
Afek said that solo activities such as jogging would remain possible even during the curfew as long as people remained close to home.
"Maintaining public health is critical,” he said.
The professor also said that while there was still much unknown about the coronavirus vaccines, they were far safer than not having any immunization against the virus.
“We do not know what the long-term effects [of the vaccination] will be, but I am sure the Western regulatory system has done all it can to produce a safe vaccine for us all," he said.
"There is one thing that is far, far worse than the vaccine and that is the coronavirus,” Afek said.
"We trust the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration], the British authorities and the authorities in Israel and believe that they will continue to operate with the same transparency as they have so far."