As Israel’s vaccination campaign has slowed down to a crawl in recent weeks, the Health Ministry is considering a variety of options to encourage more Israelis to vaccinate, such as sanctioning those who don’t vaccinate and businesses that accept them.
The measures would be part of Israel’s “Green Passport” program, which would allow those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus to access non-essential businesses, such as gyms, hotels, restaurants, and stadiums.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that “whoever doesn’t vaccinate endangers us all because they can cause the health system to collapse.”
“Those who don’t get vaccinated will only spend time in supermarkets and pharmacies, while those who get vaccinated will go to stadiums and gyms,” Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said.
Completely banning non-vaccinated Israelis from non-essential businesses is not legally viable but requiring a negative coronavirus test every 48 hours may be instituted instead, with the hope that the expense and inconvenience will spur people to get vaccinated.
“If they are required to pay a few dozen shekels [fora COVID test] every couple days so they can enter their workplace, gym or restaurant, it will encourage them to get vaccinated,” a Health Ministry official told Channel 12.
The government is considering legislation allowing employers to prevent non-vaccinated employees from coming into the office and non-vaccinated teachers from returning to their classrooms unless they present a negative coronavirus test every 48 hours. Similar legislation regarding employees in contact with the public, such as healthcare workers and bus drivers, is also being considered.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
“Those who don’t get vaccinated will only spend time in supermarkets and pharmacies, while those who get vaccinated will go to stadiums and gyms.” Gee.
As reported back in November on this website: “Moderna’s news is also excellent news for Netanyahu on a personal level, since he invested a large sum of money in the Moderna vaccines…” (Israel Tops List Of Countries To Receive Moderna Vaccine, “Terrific News For Israel,” Netanyahu Says).
Meanwhile, the adverse reaction reports are hopefully still worthwhile paying attention to.
Would the vaccinated also be required to take a test? Or course not cause that would prove that the vaccine does not provide immunity for 50% of the people…
So let’s get this straight, it’s not it about the “immunity” it’s just about the vaccine. Have you complied or not..?
What about the new strains? The vaccine is NOT effective against it. Will the vaccinated still be allowed to move but the unvaccinated not?
Oh wait, the vaccine DOES stop transmission! That’s what CDC, Dr Fauci is saying. So tell me again how does one that is vaccinated protect others?
Suppose I’m such a healthy person I haven’t gotten covid despite being exposed 10x to it…am I at greater risk or less risk?
And if YOU got the vaccine and are protected now, why do you care if I’m keeping myself vulnerable? I’ll ONLY be able to spread covid to another anti Vax who doesn’t really mind…. Cause all the other people took the vaccine and they are 95% protected, if you believe this BS…
Can’t wait to read the ACTUAL study how they got to this ‘95%’ efficiency in Israel, (not just the headline) I’d bet there is a catch. Same joke every time.
This ain’t about safety or protection of others. It’s about complying.
Israel is leading the world in medical tyrany. What busha!