From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 2, 2020
Virus panel head says she’ll continue to base decisions on data, not pressure
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Ahead of her meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud MK Yifat Shasha-Biton vows to continue to make her decisions based on data, rather than government pressure.
Shasha-Biton was expected to be ousted as head of the Knesset Coronavirus Committee by her own party after she reversed many government restrictions — such as the closures of gyms, restaurants, and pools — to curb the spread of the virus, citing insufficient evidence the activities contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
She is set to meet with Netanyahu on Monday in a last-ditch bid to avoid her ouster.
“The Coronavirus Commitee holds substantive, thorough and transparent discussions for the public and its interest,” she tweets. “We listen to the government positions, to professionals, businesses, and public representatives and appraise the issue while retaining the balance between health benefits and the social and economic damage of every decision. The figures have been, and will continue to be, the cornerstone of our decision making,” she adds, referring to data on infection rates.
“There are no personal considerations,” she says. “This is how I handled the discussions until now, and so long as I hold the role, I will continue [to work] according to these values.”
The Times of Israel Community.