Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says that it is too early to downplay the Omicron COVID variant.
“The fact that Israel is an island of functionality and health, of an open economy and a normal life, is the result of our tight management,” says Bennett at a meeting of the cabinet. “Therefore, I suggest that we not underestimate Omicron.”
“We need to be circumspect,” Bennett adds, pointing to a recent case of 50 Omicron infections at a Christmas party in Norway. “This is a strain that we do not yet know enough about, although we do know with a high level of certainty that it is very contagious. We are still in a foggy period… and we are still studying.”
Bennett adds that the government is daily “reassessing the situation –- on the basis of the data we know at the time –- regarding measures to ease restrictions or make them more stringent. Everything is according to the data.”
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, December 5, 2021
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