Dr. Talya Miron-Shatz, founding director of the Center for Medical Decision-Making at Ono Academic College was interviewed by the Jerusalem Post regarding the new Delta Variant of the COVID-19 virus that is responsible for a dramatic increase in infections both in Israel and around the world.

One of the issues she addressed related to government decisions to reverse the loosening of behavioral restrictions that followed decreases in infection counts.  Dr. Miron-Shatz supported the government’s decision to delay the approval for individual tourists to enter Israel from July 1 to August 1. She said that in order to prevent the delta and other variants from infecting the Israeli population, the government should not allow tourists in now. She said, “You have to draw the line between, ‘I welcome you as a person, but not as a person who potentially endangers my country.’”

Dr. Talya Miron-Shatz also addressed whether Israelis would be willing to cooperate with the reinstitution of behavioral restrictions like mask wearing and social distancing.  She noted that if the government determines they are logical and necessary, it needs to enforce the new rules for public safety, whether individuals like them or not.  She said, “If someone is diabetic, they are diabetic. That is their problem,” she said. “If someone has COVID, it is the problem of everyone around them, who can catch the virus.”

The full article can be read at https://www.jpost.com/health-science/is-the-virus-striking-back-israels-top-10-covid-questions-671982