Israeli Health Minister: We’re Not Locking Down Over Omicron

Senior israeli Health Ministry officials convened a press conference Thursday evening on the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in Israel.

Arutz Sheva reports that Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said there was no intention to take far-reaching steps in the face of the new variant’s spread. “In the coming weeks we will know more about the dangers of this strain. We need to change our perception. There are no sticks or carrots here, we work with citizens and look at the data and the reality on the ground. We are prepared for all possibilities, and will not shoot from the hip or act from hysteria. In the coming weeks, we will know more about how the Omicron variant behaves, what its danger is and what we are required to go through this wave successfully as well.”

“In the meantime, we will continue to take the necessary precautions to maintain health and we will also continue to maintain the livelihood, education of the children, culture and routine of life. This is also part of health. We must see the whole picture. First of all, the protection of health and the prevention of infection and disease, as well as the preservation of the Israeli economy and democracy,” Horowitz added.

“There is no reason to talk again and again about closures and lockdowns, it is not on the agenda. The public is stressed enough, there is no need to stress them anymore. The Omicron wave is different from its predecessors. What we do is considerate and responsible risk management. We are committed to livelihood, education and as sane a routine as possible. My goal, too, in this wave, is to make a supreme effort to enable in-person learning in the classroom.”

{Matzav.com Israel}