Health Ministry Director Moshe Bar Siman Tov said that Israel has to prepare for a second wave of coronavirus in the winter during an interview Wednesday evening with N12.
Bar Siman Tov spoke about the government decision not to allow families to visit the graves of fallen soldiers on Memorial Day itself, but rather in the week leading up to it, saying that "the IDF is ready to support the families. There were lengthy discussions with the families' representatives, and this plan has been agreed upon with them.Every year, around 1.5 million people visit [military cemeteries] and it is crowded compared to the instructions," he continued. "The families are in the risk groups and [the decision] was received with great pain. An alternative has to be provided and there will be an official ceremony on that day. After all, these are unusual times."
According to Bar Siman Tov, "We are trying to find the balance between the economic needs and the needs of the people, but public health has to be protected. Further discussions regarding loosening the regulations will be held tomorrow but it has to be noted that we cannot say the danger is behind us."He added, "We can even say what the World Health Organization is saying, that the peak is ahead of us and we have to view that with much consideration."
Israel, according to Bar Siman Tov, is "in a respite that allows us to plan further actions on different plains. Economically, we need to improve the systems that need to work better, that is what we are working on right now, and we will address it knowing we are in danger of a second wave."The director warned that "there are fears that we have to be prepared for a wave that would come in the winter and will be comprised of both coronavirus and the flu."
"One day, we will find out coronavirus is gone and will return to our routine, but the Israeli public has to get used to a new routine," Bar Siman Tov concluded. "I look at the photographer and those people walking around with face masks and keeping their hygiene - if we keep the regulations, we will be able to live in a coronavirus routine and not be in this tight lockdown."