CPQ Microbiology (2022) 5:3
Analytic Study

Omicron Wave -2: Do I Need to Get the Corona Vaccine Booster? Yes, It Increases the COVID Protection, Including Omicron? [1]

Shimon Shatzmiller*, Inbal Lapidot, Rami Krieger & Galina Zats

Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel

*Correspondence to: Dr. Shimon Shatzmiller, Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel.

Copyright © 2022 Dr. Shimon Shatzmiller, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Compilation of Press Reports - Public Health Issues.
The Infiltration of Omicron to Israel

From Blood Clots to Infected Neurons, How COVID Threatens the Brain
Researchers are learning that the Coronavirus can infect neurons and can cause ongoing damage in some cases.

Months after dealing with COVID-19, many people still struggle with memory problems, mental fog, and mood swings. One reason is that the disease can cause long-term brain damage.

"A lot of people suffer," says Jennifer Frontera, a professor of neurology at the New York Grossman School of Medicine.

Frontera led a study that found that more than 13% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients developed a new neurological disorder shortly after being infected. A follow-up study found that about half of the patients in this surviving group still suffered from cognitive problems six months later.

The current catalog of COVID-related threats to the brain includes bleeding, blood clots, inflammation, lack of oxygen, and the protective blood-brain barrier disruption. And there is new evidence in monkeys that the virus can also directly infect and kill specific brain cells.

Studies on brain tissue suggest that COVID-related changes tend to be subtle, rather than dramatic, says Gaddy Serrano, director of the Neuropathology Laboratory at the Banner Sun Health Research Institute. Despite this, she says, "anything that affects the brain, any slight insult, can be significant in cognition."

New clues to the biology of the long COVID are beginning to emerge

Some of the latest insights into how COVID-19 affects the brain came from a team of scientists.

Anyone with eyes in their head knows that the vaccine is not perfect, but it gives the best partial solution now and allows for the continuation of life. Unfortunately, opponents "look for lice in the head" and look for flaws and scare the public. This activity needs to be suppressed because life objects are the vast majority of the people.

Bennett, do not let pig dung smells rise from the Likud. Do not change your pathway. Instead, strengthen your hands and support.

January 7, 2022
Following the discovery of the French variant: a discussion in the Ministry of Health. Professionals will discuss the extent of the impact of the variant discovered in the south of France

New 'IHU' variant B.1.640.2 COVID-19 Corona virus detected in France

IHU B.1.640.2 Version of COVID-19 Corona Virus

Virological features and scanning electron microscopy image of the SARS-CoV-2 IHU variant: Map of the IHU variant genome showing amino acid substitutions and deletions. b: Phylogeny reconstruction performed using the nextstrain not tool (https://github.com/nextstrain/ncov) then visualized with Auspice (https://docs.nextstrain.org/projects/auspice/en/stable/). In addition, the genome of the original Wuhan- Hu-1 SARS-CoV-2 isolate (GenBank accession no. NC_045512.2) was added as an outgroup, in addition to SARS-CoV-2 genomes of Pangolin lineages B.1.640.1 and B.1.640.2. X-axis shows time. c: Representations of the spike of the IHU variant showing the location of all its amino acid substitutions. N-terminal domain (NTD) mutations are blue; receptor-binding domain (RBD) mutations are red; mutations involved in ACE- 2 unmasking are yellow; mutations at S1-S2 cleavage site are green; mutations at fusion region are in cyan. d: Scanning electron microscopy image obtained using a SUV 5000 mi (credit ref. [2]).

Why is it important to focus on this new version of COVID IHU?

Spike protein is the illustration of the Coronavirus you see in the pictures, and it is the part through which this virus attaches to the cell to infect it. It is why most vaccine companies have used the principle of teaching your body to detect spike protein by vaccination so that your body can recognize it when a live coronavirus strikes you. But, because there are spike protein mutations in this version, your immune system may not recognize it even when you are vaccinated.

So what does this mean? Should you also be afraid of this new virus? Will this cube never end? Will you never be able, or will you be allowed to take off the mask? No answer is not because even though it seems like an unfinished thing for now you will believe that the hardware will go down over time and our immunity will defeat it as always [3].

Didier Raoul, Professor of French Medicine and Director of the IHU Medical Institute for Infections.

It is clear about the coronavirus COVID-19 virus that it can mutate. And mutate. And mutate. So it should come as no surprise that another new variant was identified in France with 46 mutations and 37 deletions in its genetic code, many of which affect the spike protein. This version now bears the name B.1.640.2, which may seem like the beginning of a phone number in New Jersey. It was also temporarily dubbed the "IHU version" because staff from the University Hospital for Infection at the Méditerranée (IHU) in Marseille, France, were the first to report the pre-printed version uploaded to MedRxiv on December 29.

Here's a tweet from IHU in case you would like to see this news in French:

So does that mean the sky is falling? That you should start running around outside with your hands waving frantically in the air? To wear face masks forever? Worth adding to the 30,182 rolls of toilet paper in your bedroom? That this epidemic will last forever? Um, no, no, no, no, probably not, and hell no.

It's still unclear if this B.1.640.2 version will be so narrow or something like the Delta and Omicron versions. Before the World Health Organization (WHO) submits some Pi and gives this version B.1.640.2 a new Greek letter. There must be evidence that this version is somehow more transmitted, more likely to cause severe COVID-19, or able to evade existing immune protection Than previous versions. So far there are no clear signs that one of these may be the case. Remember different does not necessarily mean worse. However, this new version is indeed worthy of careful viewing.

The "IHU variant" may not even be newer than the Omicron version. The first reported case was identified in mid-November 2021. It may have preceded reports of the spread of the Omicron version in South Africa, which I covered in late November for Forbes. A man living in southeastern France has returned home from a trip to Cameroon. Two days later he began to suffer from mild respiratory symptoms. The next day, the man, who had already been v9raccinated against COVID-19, was tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome Corona 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2). This nasopharyngeal specimen returned positive and was eventually containing version B.1.640.2. Since then, at least 11 more people in the same environment have tested positive for version B.1.640.2.

A virus with an RNA molecule inside. Concept of viral genetics. Processed 3D illustration.

This figure shows an RNA molecule (in yellow) within a cleaved virus.

Figure: GETTY

In the early print, the IUH team (consisting of Philip Coulson, Jeremy Delers, Emily Burrell, Jordan Dahan, Agnes Joffer, Florence Penoller, Noara Yahi, Jacques Pentini, Bernard La Scola and Didier Raul) noted that this version has 46 nucleotide substitutions and 37 deletions.

What is a nucleotide? Well, it's not some radioactive Tide backpack. The National Institute for Human Genome Research (NHGRI) defines nucleotide as "the basic building block of nucleic acids." The virus's genetic material is made up of many different nucleotides linked together in a chain called ribonucleic acid (RNA). All three consecutive nucleotides in this chain can form a codon. And guess what this codon can do? It can "encode on" amino acids. So each trio of nucleotides can encode to form a particular amino acid. Amino acids, in turn, are the building blocks for proteins. Therefore, if you mess with the nucleotides in RNA by deleting or replacing new ones, you can affect the amino acids used to make different proteins.

The nucleotide changes in this so-called "IHU variant" resulted in the deletion of 30 amino acids and 12 amino acids in various virus proteins. It included 14 amino acids in the spike protein of the virus that had been replaced, including N501Y and E484K, and nine deleted. Any change in spike protein will get the attention of scientists, much like when your significant other suddenly buys a new wardrobe and starts showering much more frequently.

This is because the spike protein plays a number of key roles. As you may know, the spike protein pads the surface of the SARS-CoV-2, making the virus look like a thorny massage ball or one of those [4].

The variant is worrying because it has 46 mutations - more than Omicron has • It probably originated in a traveler who returned from Cameroon to the south of France and infected 14 more people.

Professionals in the Ministry of Health are expected to hold a discussion on the new variant that was discovered in France, the N12 learned today (Wednesday). The discussion of the variant, called in professional language B.1.640.2, is intended to track the extent of its impact. The variant is of concern because it has 46 mutations, more mutations than the Omicron, and one of them has been identified as one that may cause a decrease in vaccine effectiveness.

According to French media reports, he was identified after a French citizen returned from Cameroon to the south of the country. Upon his return, the hiker caught up with another 12 people. The variant contains the E484K mutation - which can cause a decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccine. In Israel, the new variant is expected to be monitored as part of the monitoring conducted around the various variants that are being discovered around the world.

The discovery of the variant was reported yesterday in the French media networks. According to reports, the 46 mutations that the variant has may indicate that it is one that may be "more resistant to the vaccine and more contagious than the original virus" - similar to Omicron. However, information on the variant is still preliminary and has not yet been proven to be resistant to existing vaccines.

However, it is important to note that the variant was discovered at the end of November near the discovery of Omicron and since then 20 cases have been paved from it, compared to 120,000 Omicron pavements in the corresponding period in the reservoirs. So it is possible that Omicron has an advantage over it in adhesion and the chance of it expanding is not high. Apparently, he is starting to cause concern now due to his newly discovered mutations.

After the French institute in Marseille that found it, a temporary and unofficial nickname for the variant is IHU. The first and most vaccinated patient from Cameron suffered from only a mild illness, and it is not clear what about the others he contracted [5].

Beginning of Omicron Tsunami in Israel January 8, 2022

Figure: The beginning of Omicron Tzunammi in Israel.

January 8, 2022 (credit ref. [[6])
Numerous infections we have not seen before: Israel is moving towards mass infection.

The Ministry of Health estimates that between 2 and 3 million Israelis will be infected with Omicron - but the epidemic is misleading - and these estimates may turn out to be incorrect. In steps according to one measure that is considered the most reliable of all • Dr. Elrai-Price: "We need to adapt to the reality of a big wave."

Towards a massive omicron infection? Decision-makers do not say this out loud, but it seems that Israel is moving towards a policy of actual mass contagion - even though senior Ministry of Health officials vehemently deny it. The dramatic decision to change the testing policy is expected to cause the true number of verified people to be unknown - given the Ministry of Health's estimates that the daily number of infected is expected to reach 50,000 next week - and then 100,000. According to estimates - one in three Israelis is expected to be infected with Omicron in the coming weeks - we published this evening (Friday) in "Ulpan Shishi".

The government seems to have come to terms with the fact that the new variant is here and that it is spreading fast - so the actions taken are mainly intended to try and "limit" it with all possible tools: the fourth vaccine, the new drug that helps severe coronary heart disease. Less severe severe compared to previous corona waves. It is estimated that this wave will last about two to three weeks, reach a peak with the highest verified numbers - and then it will fade

But even the estimates of huge numbers of infections in Israel are only estimates. The corona crisis is managed with uncertainty always hovering in the background from what a day will bring - and in a few days these estimates may turn out to be wrong. This is why the real measure of the severity of the disease and its spread in Israel in the coming weeks will be the number of serious patients. The question asked in this context is: when will decision-makers raise a red flag and say that the danger is too great.

Experts estimat that there will be between 1,500 and 2,000 critically ill in Israel.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bennett has demanded to be prepared for a scenario in which the Ministry of Health will examine the rate of increase of the seriously ill patients and also the degree of illness of the hospitalized and accordingly decide what steps should be taken. Decision makers draw encouragement from what is happening in hospitals around the world: where the duration of hospitalization of Israel actually moves to the model of mass infection Photo:

Dr. Elrai-Price denies: "We did not switch to mass infection."

In an interview with Ulpan Shishi, the head of the public health services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sharon Elrai-Price, denied that Israel had "given up" and was no longer working to stop the variant:

"If we had switched to mass infection, we would have stopped all tests. Not the situation - we are only increasing the amount of tests. "However, she clarified:" What we do needs to be adapted to the reality of a very large wave of infection."

Despite estimates of huge numbers of infected, the Ministry of Health may be calmer than before following world data showing that those infected with Omicron are milder patients:

"This variant is less contagious to the lungs. As a result, we are currently with the same amount of respirators and patients on Acme," she said.

"We all hope it's the end, but this plague has surprised us time and time again." For example, "12% of those verified today are recovering, which is something we have not encountered before. We have a very big wave to deal with," she said. And in addition to the corona patients - the flu wave this winter is more severe than the previous one - and just this week 1,000 flu patients were hospitalized - which puts a strain on the already congested system.

The green mark in malls and shopping centers will be eliminated

Meanwhile, the area will also be adapted to the new reality in which the virus is already widespread in the community - and the restrictions will be eased in shopping centers and malls to reduce harm to businesses.

The green label in malls will be waived. A strict purple character on the way Photo: Oliver Fitoussi, Flash / 90

The government apparently intends to cancel the outline of the green label in malls from this coming Monday - and move to a stricter purple label, which will include the following criteria:

• Duty to wear masks 15 square meters per person in public areas in closed malls / complexes
• 15 square per person in stores over 100 meters
• 7 square meters per person in stores smaller than 100 meters or 4 customers (whichever is higher)
• A 30 sqm store can accommodate up to 4 customers
• Air exchange in malls 3 times an hour
• Sitting in the food complex with a green sign at the entrance (a guard will be placed at the entrance to the compound). A ban on seating and requiring a green sign at the stand
• Reinforcement of corona inspectors on behalf of the mall [6].

The Sky Has Opened: This is What is Happening in the Favorite Destinations of Israelis
Dubai, the United States, Turkey, and the UK left the list of red countries tonight, and thus, officially, the sky opened up completely. Despite the alarming morbidity in the world, the numbers of Israelis returning to fly are expected to rise very soon and we checked what is happening in the most sought-after places at the moment.

The sky has opened: this is what is happening in the favorite destinations of Israelis

Dubai, the United States, Turkey and the UK left the list of red countries tonight and thus, officially, the sky opened up completely. Despite the alarming morbidity in the world, the numbers of Israelis returning to fly are expected to rise very soon and we checked what is happening in the most sought-after places at the moment.

As of today (7.1) all countries are removed from the list of red states. Thus, the last countries that could not be flown to until now and will join the list of orange countries, to which the flight is allowed without special permission, are the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Ethiopia, Britain, Tanzania, Mexico, Switzerland, and Turkey. These are the most sought-after countries of Israelis - and in fact, the sky is officially opened completely. "We still recommend not flying," stressed the director-general of the Ministry of Health, Nachman Ash, "but at the moment, there is no point in doing so anymore."

But will the opening of the skies cause a significant increase in the number of Israelis going abroad? It seems that despite the increase in morbidity in most of the world and the cold season in Europe and North America, many people are in a hurry to buy tickets and fly.

"Finally, you can fly and breathe air," says Tali Noy, VP of marketing and sales at Issta. The Demand is for short and upcoming vacations. The dollar rate is low, availability is high, and customers want some quiet from the news. The prices are the best prices we have seen in recent years. For example, 3 days in Dubai, for a package that includes flights and a 5-star hotel will cost only $ 499. A package of 3 nights in Prague that includes a hotel will cost only $ 299 per person. "

Nir Mazor, VP of Marketing at Aviation Connections, adds: "As of last night, we are seeing a 25 percent increase in calls to service centers and growing interest, especially in ski destinations, Lapland, which is a classic winter destination, Dubai and European capitals ahead of Valentine's Day. We believe that Demand will even increase next week for all the countries that have opened up. In addition, families' interest in Pesach holidays abroad is already registered, expecting a decrease in morbidity towards March-April. 3 nights in a 4-star hotel in Antalya, on a half-board basis, including a direct flight with a suitcase and transfers will cost $ 459 per person in a double room. And a flight to New York includes a suitcase and a meal that starts at $ 544 per person. "

Flight numbers are expected to rise immediately Photo: Avshalom Shoshani, Flash / 90

Alongside this, keep in mind that January is basically a busy month every year, and certainly at a time when the omicron virus is still raging. These days, people have just returned to work after the holidays and Hanukkah. Last November, for example, before the Omicron returned to our lives, 478,000 Israelis flew abroad, half the number in November 2019 (before the Corona). Now, the percentages compared to January 2020 are expected to be even lower.

At the same time, the outbound tourism companies are happy about every booking that comes in, after a month in which the bookings have stopped almost completely. "After the announcement of the restrictions on flights and the opening of the sky, we are witnessing a high level of interest," says Hila Hermolin Ronen, Israir's VP of Marketing and Sales. And to destinations close to a short period."

What awaits Israelis who choose to fly abroad now?

In November, before the skies closed, the top destinations were Turkey, the United States, France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates and England.

Dr. Carmel, director of the Amsalem Tours group's division, said: "Israeli travelers are experienced and devoutly follow the numbers in the world so that any non-high morbidity destination will be relevant to them. The covenant always stands at the top. "

Dubai is expected to be the hottest destination for Israelis, but its morbidity has also risen sharply

Indeed, the UAE is already expecting a wave of Israelis. Israelis can arrive freely after many fly to it via Bahrain, even when defined as red. Last November, more than 60,000 Israelis flew to their destination, which is the best season to visit now. As early as yesterday, Arkia announced that it would operate between 3 and 5 weekly flights to Dubai.

In the last two weeks, the number of people infected with a Corona in the UAE has risen dramatically. The omicron virus has begun to make its mark in the country. Those infected with the virus have jumped in recent days to 2,750. There are no restrictions and closures but there is a strict adherence to wearing masks in public places and enclosed spaces [7].

Figure: Israelis travel checkin Ben-Gurion Airport

Loads in Speed Tests - Empty PCR Complexes: “Waste of State Resources.”
The outline of the tests has changed, the queues have shifted to the antigen: over the weekend, the new method of tests came into effect for the first time, according to which vaccines exposed to a verified patient can perform a home corona test. The subjects are sent to perform an "institutional antigen test" in the rapid test complexes spread across the country if the answer is yes. But after long queues at PCR testing sites in recent weeks, it seems that the load has now been shifted to antigen testing sites.

Rotem Grossman from Kiryat Ono waited in line for almost an hour today for an examination at the MDA complex in Ganei Tikva: "We wanted to enjoy the Sabbath and we made an appointment for an examination at 14:00. When we arrived, we saw a long queue and had to wait for 50 minutes. The girl is in isolation due to the cancellation of the green class outline. Information is passed on, and there are queues in all the complexes in the WhatsApp group of parents."

"We spent the Sabbath on the wait and the result for the test we have not yet received," Grossman noted. "The feeling is a sense of despair - not seeing the end. My wife had to give up work this week because of the isolation of the children and it seems that the change in the layout only shifted the load from one place to another."

Testing complexes inaugurated for the first time over the weekend faced a huge onslaught with the gates opening. Peleg Rapaport, VP of Invision-Care, which operates a testing complex at Yamit 2000 in Holon, said: "We set up the station on Thursday night and during the weekend, thousands of people came to us for tests. It was just crazy. This morning, the stand opened at 10:00, and all the time. The wait can take up to an hour on average. There are complexes throughout the country where the waiting time is two hours."

In contrast, most of the Home Front Command's PCR testing complexes were left completely empty over the weekend. David Ivgi from Herzliya told N12: "After meeting with a verified patient, I did a home test that had a negative result. To be safe, I also did a PCR test and am waiting for an answer. When I arrived at the compound, there was no queue at all. "Some of the complexes are empty and some are crowded. The guidelines are terribly confusing and difficult to follow."

A source in the testing system said in a conversation with N12: "The PCR complexes are almost empty. It is simply a waste of state resources [8].

Israel Is Trying to Avoid Silencing the Economy Ahead of Omikron’s “Tsunami.”
Officials seeking to amend rules amid fears that "hundreds of thousands" will be sent to quarantine; Lieberman: Hysteria worse than a virus.

A man wearing a mask takes shelter from the rain on Jaffa Road in downtown Jerusalem on December 21, 2021.

Israeli officials said on Wednesday that the country was preparing for a "tsunami" of Omicron contaminants that would flood the country in the coming weeks, leaving the government struggling to cope with the expected attack.

Channel 12 News quoted Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as telling nearby advisers that a massive outbreak was likely to occur in the coming days.

"The wave will hit us in 10 days. There will be mass infections, it is unavoidable," Bennett said. "It will be stronger but shorter than the previous waves and will last about eight to nine weeks. Everything we knew from the previous waves will be different."

The warnings came when Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said Israelis over the age of 60 would become the first people in the world to be eligible for a fourth COVID-19 vaccine from Sunday.

"[The recommendation] was accepted that if we were not vaccinated, the price would be very high - serious illness and a lot of closure," Dr. Boaz Lev said at a press conference.

"This version is like a tsunami," added Lev, who heads the advisory panel that recommended Israel start offering the fourth course.

Dr. Boaz Lev, left, speaking during a meeting of the Knesset Health Committee, The Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem, November 16, 2021.

Dr. Tal Brosh, another member of the panel, said the decision was difficult to make because of a lack of information, both on the severity of Omicron and the effects of a fourth shot.

"We do not have much time to make decisions, it's like a train approaching us and we have to make decisions even when we do not know everything," he said. "There is great uncertainty as to whether the coming wave will bring serious diseases, but we cannot be naive and think it is a weak virus."

He said the decision to offer a fourth shot was intended to address a particular group's concerns and urged the rest of the population to get vaccinated or get booster shots.

Channel 12 reported that a senior health ministry official, Dr. Sharon Elroy-Price, on Tuesday advised the government not to continue with the fourth injection until the end of the study conducted by Sheba Hospital, apparently in two weeks.

However, the report said she eventually voted with the panel to approve the shot.

The decision has yet to be approved by Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash.

Hundreds and thousands in quarantine

Channel 12 also reported that there is a grave fear that Gal Omikron will paralyze the Israeli economy and the education system even if it does not cause serious illness.

According to Israel's current rules, anyone who comes in contact with a person infected with Omicron should be quarantined regardless of the vaccination status. This will probably limit hundreds of thousands of people to their homes.

The report said health ministry officials were aware of the problem and were now looking to design a "more sensible" system, but nothing had been formulated yet.

Bad hysteria from a virus?

Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman was one of the loudest opponents of new closures or restrictions.

"My position is clear - yes to vaccines, no to closing the economy," he told Channel 12 News. "The most dangerous virus in the world is not the coronavirus, it's stress and hysteria."

He compared Omicron to the flu on Tuesday and drew a scathing reprimand from Elroy-Price.

Lieberman received a boost on Wednesday when a senior South African doctor told Israeli television that a version of Omicron looked much less deadly than the Delta strain of the corona virus.

"People are not dying like you saw with Delta," Dr. Angelique Coetzee said in an interview with Cannes Public Broadcasting. "Delta - it's completely different."

Coetzee, who heads the South African Medical Association, said cases had been declining since December 9.

"We don't see the doubling or the growth we saw right at the beginning," she said. "It may be a different picture in the rest of the world, but for now the caseload in hospitals is very low."

She also said there had been no significant increase in severe COVID-19 cases burdening hospitals [9].

Under pressure from the trade industry: The government is preparing to limit occupancy in large stores - and not to require a green sign at the entrance.

After mall representatives complained about a 50% drop in sales revenue, ministers will be asked to vote on new regulations that will introduce a stricter purple mark in various stores and shopping centers. According to the proposal that will be presented to the government, the malls will still be able to bring green label holders into the food complexes, and will have to assign ushers

Trade representatives pressed - and the government will change policy: A proposal that will go up tomorrow (Sunday) for a vote in front of ministers effectively eliminates the green mark in malls, street shops and shopping centers - and introduces a strict purple mark that includes occupancy restriction depending on store area (excluding food and pharma stores).

According to the proposal, stores with an area larger than 100 square meters will be able to admit customers according to a key of 15 square meters per person, and stores smaller than that - 7 square meters per customer or four customers for the entire store, whichever is higher.

View the Corona Restrictions Gallery at the Golden Mall

Green mark checks at the entrance to the store in the Golden Mall in Israelis attack home tests: "Huge increase in demand."

Flying abroad despite the warnings: "How much can you dive into bitterness?"

Prohibition of Entry and Fines: This Is How the Unvaccinated Dealt with in Europe
In the PCR complexes everyone is tested - despite the layout. Ministry of Health: "It will take time to get used to"

In addition, the new proposal will allow mall owners to fence food complexes and allow entry to them only to those who present a green sign - similar to what was done at the Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv. In addition, the malls will be required to exchange air at least three times an hour, and assign ushers on their behalf whose job it is to inform passers-by about a mask duty.

In recent days, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has instructed senior Ministry of Health officials to prepare for a stringent scenario of 4,000 corona patients in critical condition, even though experts estimate it is between 2,500-1,000 severely ill at its peak. At the same time, the health system will work to reduce the number of patients severely by two means - expanding the use of Pfizer's anti-corona drug that arrived in the country last week, and providing vaccination to people aged 60 and over.

Corona Restrictions at Azrieli Mall
Bennett also ordered the expansion of the use of antigen testing in strategic locations such as hospitals, police, institutions and government centers. The Prime Minister further instructed to examine a reduction in work in government ministries and the removal of more workers to work from home and an examination of further easing of the isolation outline for parents whose children are verified. The number of days of isolation for the vaccinated may be shortened.

During the hearing, it was clarified that the antigen tests conducted by the authorities (institutional tests) are "absolutely effective" in detecting the Omicron, starting from the second day of infection. The concern is that verified people will not perform private antigen tests as required, and will infect others. Close to the details: A source told Ynet. The decrease in the number of verified in the current wave would be "much faster", as the increase in the number of verified is much faster.

It is estimated that the wave will last about two months, so we will start to see a decrease in the number of verified within a few weeks. Experts estimate that the average number of days of hospitalization for those infected with Omicron is about four to five days, compared with an average of nine days of hospitalization for those infected with the Delta strain [10].

Bibliography

1. Berkeley Lovelace (2021). Pfizer says booster shot of its vaccine protects against omicron variant.
2. Philippe Colson, Jérémy Delerce, Emilie Burel, et al. (2021). Emergence in Southern France of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant of probably Cameroonian origin harbouring both substitutions N501Y and E484K in the spike protein.
3. Shalu Sharma (2021). New COVID Variant IHU. Zorghealth.
4. Bruce Lee, Y. (2022). New ‘IHU’ B.1.640.2 COVID-19 Coronavirus Variant Detected in France.
5. https://www.mako.co.il/news-lifestyle/2022_q1/Article-ecebdb84a392e71026.htm
6. https://www.mako.co.il/news-lifestyle/2022_q1/Article-f1ecbe3f7463e71026.htm?sCh=31750a2610f26110&pId=173113802
7. https://www.mako.co.il/news-money/consumer/Article-a619277d5003e71026.htm?sCh=31750a2610f26110&pId=1714755246
8. https://www.mako.co.il/news-lifestyle/2022_q1/Article-a0817177c0a3e71027.htm?partner=lobby
9. (2021). Israel scrambles to avoid paralyzing economy ahead of Omicron ‘tsunami’. The times of Israel.
10. https://www.bezeqint.net/group/personal/main