Gamzu promises a virus test in every nose (and maybe a faster exit)

Coronavirus czar Ronni Gamzu tells a media briefing that Israelis will now be able to get coronavirus tests freely through their health maintenance organizations, and will no longer need a referral from a doctor.

He also says that officials have seen a significant dip in infection rates across all communities.

“We went into the lockdown with 9,000 cases and 140 red cities. We’re now in a better situation,” he says. (In actuality Israel didn’t hit 9,000 cases a day until October 1, over a week into the lockdown.)

“We thought the drop would turn all red cities into orange ones, but we kept going with the closure because we thought it was the correct and safe method for everyone to continue to act this way,” he says.

He also says officials will discuss the possibility of speeding up the Health Ministry’s slow, careful several-month planned exit from the lockdown.