Anti-Utopia is Happening in Israel

Following the rapid success of vaccination and the reduction of those infected, Israel began opening shops and cultural sites. However, there is one condition: whoever wants to use them must be vaccinated.

Israel was one of the pioneers of the pandemic: it reacted quickly and controlled the crisis; the first in the world imposed a second quarantine when the infected increased again; it quickly bought millions of vaccines, even at the cost of a controversial data-sharing agreement with Pfizer; and it quickly gained momentum and became a record holder for the proportion of vaccinated.

Now, other countries are likely to observe this partial loosening “at two speeds”, one for the vaccinated and one for the unvaccinated, with interest to see if they can apply it themselves.

What is changing

In cities with less morbidity, part of the learning process will be present again, as well as in the “orange” (most affected by the infection), where 70% of people are vaccinated.

Shopping malls, museums and some cafes are open to all in compliance with the rules of social distance and other labor standards in the workplace in the conditions of the coronavirus, adopted in Israel.

However, gyms, swimming pools, cinemas, some temples and hotels will be accessible only to those who have shown that they have been vaccinated, with the so-called Green Badge system – they received their two doses at least 21 weeks ago or recovered. This will be done with a QR code, which should speed up the procedure.

This is the first stage. In two weeks, according to the same rules, all restaurants will open, conferences can be held.

Some restrictions will apply for now for both vaccinated and unvaccinated. For example, the number of people gathering in religious temples will not increase.

“We continue to responsibly open up the principle of ‘you are vaccinated – inside’,” Defense Minister Benny Ganz said a few days ago.

An important test for Pfizer

Several recent Israeli studies have suggested that vaccination, in which Israel primarily uses Pfizer and Biontech’s Komirnati, will not reduce the spread of infection.

However, for the first time with a loosening, this can be verified in practice. Israelis who receive two doses will reach 3 million in a matter of days, almost half of adults, and many more will receive a second in the coming weeks. If the resumption of social life does not lead to a new jump in those infected, the global trial of the Pfizer vaccine, at least for now, will appear successful.

A test of power

The restrictions on the unvaccinated are not just a fad, nor just a means to control the pandemic (although Israel is really looking for a way to avoid last year’s crisis, so the abrupt and reckless lifting of the quarantine made the situation worse). The cabinet sees them as an opportunity to encourage those who hesitate to get vaccinated. These needs are intertwined with the approach of the upcoming snap elections on March 23. A month later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to the polls hoping that the success of the vaccination would help him.

The record speed of the vaccination campaign in Israel is in doubt. After reaching people over 60, younger citizens are reluctant to get vaccinated and the number of injections per day has dropped dramatically, and more than 2 million people over the age of 16 have not registered for vaccination in absolute, including a quarter of the country’s teachers. There are already complaints between Israelis and professional and human rights organizations about the risks of the employer requesting information on whether an employee has been vaccinated.

Last Sunday (the first day of the working week in Israel), the country also took a step for which EU members have already received criticism. The cabinet approved a proposal that local authorities would be entitled to receive the names and other details of residents who have not yet been vaccinated.

The goal of the measure, according to Netanyahu, is “to encourage (these residents) to get vaccinated and save lives.” His cabinet ministers agree that the proposal contains “precedents to take into account.” According to the Minister of Tourism, Orit Farkash-Hakoen, the data should be mainly for people aged 50 and over.

The right not to get vaccinated

The whole strategy raises uncomfortable questions about rights, obligations and the “common good,” the New York Times reported. The newspaper quoted Health Minister Julius Edelstein as saying that those who don’t get vaccinated will be left behind, noting that today’s opening precedes local initiatives, such as an experiment with a shopping mall or small towns, where people vaccinated or sick they can go back to normal. lives.

Restricting personal freedoms can be justified for the common good, says Dr. Maya Peled Raz, an expert in medical law and ethics at the University of Haifa. Employers cannot force employees to get vaccinated, but they can only be allowed to hire vaccinates if their business would be affected. For leisure activities, on the other hand, everyone decides for themselves if they want to visit the site and at what price.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is proposing legislation requiring that unvaccinated employees whose work involves contact with other people be screened once every two days.

However, he also has “the right not to be vaccinated,” Haggai Levine, a professor of public health at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told AFP. “I think people should do it, but you can’t force them.”