[ad_1]
A month ago, Israel was where Switzerland is today. The country’s health authorities reported new infections of more than 9,000 a day The reaction to Corona’s horror was uncompromising: Shut down!
The Israeli government closed public life for the second time since the epidemic began. Restaurants, bars and all schools were closed. This also applies to synagogues, mosques, and churches. Only essential stores such as supermarkets, pharmacies or banks were allowed to remain open.
Movement radius: 1000 meters
The range of movement of people was drastically restricted: from September 18 to October 18, residents were allowed a maximum of 1000 meters from their place of residence.
Israel has as many inhabitants as Switzerland, just over nine million. Therefore, the numbers can be easily compared. The total death toll related to Covid-19 in Israel is just over a month after the shutdown at around 2,500. In Switzerland, where compulsory schools, shops, and to some extent restaurants and bars are still open , the death toll was recorded on Friday. just crossed the 2000 limit.
Now it’s gradually relaxing
With the curfew, Israel managed to reduce the number of new daily infections from around 9,000 to just under 600 recently. The government is now planning a second wave of easing. Elementary schools will reopen with immediate effect, and nonessential businesses will be allowed to return to customers a week later.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convinced of the success of the curfew: “We have decided on a closure and the numbers have fallen rapidly.”
The economy has suffered a lot
However, as expected, the Israeli economy suffered greatly from the move. The unemployment rate jumped from 12 to 19 percent in September, and countless small businesses are on the brink of ruin.
Whether such a radical blockade was necessary is controversial in Israel. Because while the population implemented the lockdown less consistently in fall than in spring, it was more effective and worked faster, as Eran Segal, an expert in genetics and artificial intelligence at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, explains. Segal: “At least the blockades work in Israel; the second blockades work even better.” The reasons for the better performance in fall are unclear. (noo)
