Israelis are great at cutting corners. Making Kombinot to get around restrictions and circumvent obstacles, passing on the right, doctoring figures on taxes – whatever it takes to get their way and avoid being freiers.
Unfortunately, every time we try to cut corners regarding the pandemic, it turns around and bites us in the backside.
The government, spearheaded by the corona cabinet, is continuing to ramp up nationwide restrictions to stem the rising rates, in an attempt to avoid a shutdown of the country ahead of the holidays next month.
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In the latest set of restrictions, unvaccinated people – from age three up – will be required as of August 18 to present a negative COVID test before entering swimming pools, gyms, academic institutions, sports and culture events, conferences, museums, libraries, restaurants and hotels.
The tests for children up to 11 will be paid for by the state, whereas anyone 12 or older will be required to fund the screenings on their own.
Further restrictions were also approved regarding the number of people at gatherings in closed and open spaces, all in a desperate attempt to derive a formula that will level off the pandemic without forcing the economy to shut down, as was done in the three previous waves of the virus.
Between the draconian measure of closing Ben-Gurion Airport and the economic devastation caused to businesses, both small and large, the previous attempts have revealed a ‘throw everything at the wall and see what sticks’ mentality that is untenable as we go forward.
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