The sunny mid January fantastic wheather of the previous week, had been the only consolation during these prolonged 2 weeks of enforced # 4 lock-down. Warm temperature had also discharged peoples’ pent-up inhibitions, and instead of staying restrained and locked in their homes, as prescribed by the Gov., the city's rebellious majority erupted into the streets, parks and beaches.
TLV Beach on Jan 9th/2021
Police had also to intervene and disperse clusters of forbidden larger gatherings. Mindless partying youth and religious fanatics who congregated at in-doors secret hide-outs, and at prayer or educational facilities, became the super-spreaders of the pandemic, and not surprisingly, if also Gov. senseless open borders policy, is in full practice at Israel international BG airport.....
On the other end, Australia is unlikely to open border in 2021, declared health official.
Australia's international borders are unlikely to open to travelers , this year despite the rollout of coronavirus vaccines, a top health official said Monday
Furthermore, the Israeli police which was instructed to execute tougher regulations and indiscriminately fine those disobedient, had to handle also lawbreakers who jammed the road blocks, set on the main Hwy-s inter-connecting major cities. On our daily walk, we were surprised to find out, that the very large tents' complex, which was provisionally set at Rabin main Square by TLV municipality as to speed up vaccination of the City’s senior population, was completely abandoned.
Indeed, the partial explanation to the halt could be that the first vaccine dosage, which seemed to lower the numbers of the contaminated, was already administered to the majority of those 60+. and that the additional vials of Pfizer’s second dosage, had not yet arrived. See table of the heavily sick among the 60+: since vaccination was administered.
However, there was another reason for this curbed inactivity at the city’s popular square. When the “brilliant” Health Minister discovered, that against the Gov. directive, the TLV municipality took the liberty, to offer available surplus vaccine shots, also to the highly risked Teachers and Educational staff, he felt compelled to flex his central power muscles, and ordered to halt immediately all local administration, at the city’s square. The large tents’ structures, which overtook the square’s large space, had now prevented the crowd from exercising their demonstration’s privilege which usually is held at this preferred venue and attracts many. Yet, a lone protester, who set there on his own, against the square's empty backdrop, waving a black flag in defiance, against this tyrant dysfunctional Gov, attracted our attention. Entering into a passionate political debate with this tenacious senior fellow, on the necessity to topple Bibi, we insisted that only unification of all the splinters of the moderate-liberal political parties , into one political camp, would give a chance to
such a wish.
Furthermore, having more women as heads of parties, could have brought this desired salvation much sooner...
Only men Parties Heads running at this up-coming 4th round of election
But more than this declared “enlightened" obvious, 5 minutes into the conversation, we incidentally discovered, to our delight, that this ideologically prolific activist, is actually the brother of an acquaintance of ours (Rony Sagi) who resides in San Francisco, and whom we have known for years....
As already previously noted, only 2 degrees of separation part between Israeli strangers.. and it is especially confirmed after delving, immediately into a political discourse..
On lock-downs and Vaccines
Within the on going Corona related correspondence and debates held with friends, from all around the world, the opinions shared, range from those extremely opposing lock-downs and vaccines, on one extreme, to those on the other end, who on their own volition fully succumb to prolonged house-arrests, or they , indiscriminately, hail marry to the administration of the experimental biological product, regardless of age related consideration and unknown risks the product may pose in the long run. An alarmed friend who heard we got vaccinated wrote:
<< I am puzzled and shocked why intelligent and informed people like you both are pushing for a vaccine with such serious safety issues, especially when a safe and proven cure exists. Ivermectin protects and cures. Why are you not endorsing this effective FDA proven drug for treatment and prevention? If lives truly matter, your actions are seemingly counter to this. I am shocked and angry at the vaccine propaganda. No one benefits here except the pharmaceuticals>>
Another shared shared <<I've been in agreement that lock-downs are doing more harm than good. Here in the Seattle area, we went through several months with empty hospital rooms and medical staff on standby, waiting for a flood of coronavirus victims which never materialized.
In the meantime, many people were missing essential exams, tests, and treatments. Even now, an unknown number of people are afraid of the exposure of going into hospitals and clinics. One of my fears is that in the future, whenever a new virus appears, the first impulse of many politicians might be to shut down things anew>> The pandemic’s contamination spread and impact is apparently not homogeneous. Thus it is only logical to deduct that treatment solutions and lock-downs fixes should both be handled on differential basis. I prefer to listen to as many possible additional opinions concerning vaccination risks.
I endorse questioning the merits of lock downs.
And I rather get as many informed suggestions on any new preventative and early treatment products, if they can eliminate contamination or hospitalization.. However I reject automatic pilot herd mentality along with dichotomous world view or getting stuck on any of the extremes. I am fully for honest discourse, information sharing, and judging selectively, after letting as many qualified scientific voices be freely heard. Complex life problems require not uniformed but nuanced creative open mindedness thinking, for safe and effective solutions to work. I oppose curtailing rights on freedom of movement, as well as on mandatory vaccination.
Vaccination should be a discriminated risk-benefit choice, and not mandatory.
I oppose the tyrannical imposition of “one solutions and methods that fit all”…
there are many ways leading to Rome..
And I adamantly against politicization of issues and imposed solutions
I am against silencing and vilifying other qualified thinkers, who dare to question. Apparently enough prominent, frustrated scientists banded together to launch
The Great Barrington Declaration; a petition drawn up by professors at Oxford, Harvard and Stanford, and backed by tens of thousands of epidemiologists, public health scientists, and their opinions have merit as well
The press-roller's efforts to silence any discourse or blocking other scientific opinions and voices, held by knowledgeable and qualified members of the scientific community, are irresponsible, ludicrous and a pure witch-hunt, in my mind.
There are many unknown risks in getting contaminated. There are many risks in consuming new treatment drugs when getting sick. And there are many unknown risks in being vaccinated by experimental biological products.
It is not that clear which of these possibilities is riskier, but it is definitely important to be aware and informed on the issues, to raise the necessary questions and to debate.
Luckily, I am married to an expert on drug development, who is an independent thinker and well informed, as well as is qualified to analyze and critically judge on his own, the evolving data being fed, and solutions being imposed.
Apparently there is also a country who trust its citizen’s common sense and will share in the decision making
Switzerland to Hold Referendum on Covid-19 Lockdown
The vote, which could be held as soon as June, tests government’s legal powers and is latest example of Switzerland’s direct democracy
Switzerland’s system of direct democracy will be put to the test with a referendum on whether to roll back the government’s powers to impose lock-downs and other measures to slow the Covid-19 pandemic.
In Israel, a country inflicted by lock-downs, over 2 million people, already got at least one, and even 2 doses of the actual Pfizer’s vaccine. Over 200,000 have received both doses, as will, also my 98 years old mom, her 50 years old caretaker, both David and I, our 40 years old daughter, and all our friends 60 + in age. So far we are all well in this initial Ginnea- pig largest global experiment test.
And none of us had any alarming reaction to the vaccine's first dosage.
I suffered much more when I was vaccinated about 2 months ago following Flu and Pneumonia shots.
So far in Israel only one elderly person with additional background issues died after being vaccinated, and that was because of his heart condition. Sadly, 4000 over all covid-19 related deaths occurred in Israel, almost 6000 newly infected and there are 1180 hospitalized patients in serious condition, with 275 intubated.
Hospitals are now experiencing an overload, and unfortunate screw ups have been occurring because the healthcare staff feels overburdened for the first time, since the start of the pandemic.
Also as of this week Israel also started vaccinating all those 45 + and all educational staff.
Vaccinations administration at the Rabin square tents came to life, once again with scenes of long lines.
On Jan 14 WSJ reported that "Israel Vaccine Data Suggests Decrease in Covid-19 Infection Rate After First Dose" "The early data, indicating a 33% decline, could offer lessons to other countries rolling out vaccination campaigns" the paper stated Early data from Israel suggests Covid-19 infection rates began to decrease among a group of vaccine recipients two weeks after they received the first shot of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s vaccine, offering important insights to other countries as they roll out their own campaigns. The small country—whose roughly nine million population is about the size of New York City’s—has vaccinated nearly a 1/4 of its population in just under a month, the first country to hit that mark as it fights an upsurge in new infections.
New Data Shows Covid Vaccine Is Working
Data released by the Israel Health Ministry tracked Covid infection levels among 600,000 people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, a group almost 30 times bigger than the one involved in the Phase 3 trial that preceded FDA approval of the shot. The Maccabi HMO reported that the rate of infection decreased from 40 out of 100,000 in the first 12 days after the first vaccination to 15 per 100,000 on days 13 to 21 - a 60% reduction.
And Behind Israel's Vaccination Effort , newsweek's Daniel Pomerantz reported that:
"Israel has undertaken a robust and coordinated Covid-19 vaccination initiative, reaching over 2 million people,over 20% of the population, in barely over 3 weeks.
Israel has not only survived but thrived throughout decades of war, terrorism and existential threats. Israel's institutions, though sometimes chaotic, are built on principles of adaptability and rapid response.
The population has moved with stunning speed and unusual orderliness to get vaccinated in large numbers,
Furthermore it was reported that also IDI Medics were Drafted in Covid Vaccination Drive .
They were called back for three months as reserve soldiers....to work from dusk until dawn. It is a major operation to enlist such a large amount of medics.
*Sadly US death numbers is eclipsing 400,000.
My friend Laura from the Bay area CA shared on Jan 11/2021 that: <<The US is up to 25.5m distributed vaccines, and only 9m actually administered (36.5%). .CA has only administered 27% of what they’ve Rec’d because the governor and health officials are still debating the set of guidelines for who gets priority after health care professionals and the elderly in nursing homes. NY, which was very slow out of the gate is now at 40% administered of what they’ve received. So they are way ahead of CA.>>
It is chaos, told another Bay area friend, with people not being able to sign up for vaccinations or else if they happen to get an appointment, having to drive miles to another county to receive it. Some people are lucky but it random.
The best performing states are Tennessee and Colorado at 51%.
Once the public/private partnership starts with CVS and other pharmacies and they will be able to administer the vaccine, this will turn around, but right now it’s shame on the governors. >> *China's powerful central, fast responding and forceful Government, on the other hand doesn't put its faith in vaccination, as pointed Nadav Eyal, a TV broadcaster, but rather in
Human Behavioral Engineering.
See societal behavioral changes a la China style..
*And in Iran, political conspiracy theories are more sacred than saving lives.
Iran's Khamenei Bans Import of U.S. and UK Coronavirus Vaccines
Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he had banned the import of U.S. and British-made coronavirus vaccines, calling them "forbidden." Khamenei suggested that the U.S. and Britain could use vaccines to "contaminate" Iran. In December, the director of Iran's Red Crescent said unnamed U.S. philanthropists had arranged for the distribution of 150,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in Iran, a move that was cancelled following Khamenei's announcement. Amazingly, there is still a Covid-free world 11 countries escaped the pandemic with zero coronavirus cases Believe it or not, after almost a year of living in a global pandemic, there are still some pockets of the Earth where face masks, social distancing remote working or lock-downs are not a part of live whatsoever .
Check the list of 11 havens of normal life left in the world,
Most places excluding Turkmenistan Micronesia I have never heard of, but would definitely like to visit, even before the "new normal life" returns, whatever that means..
But until hassle -free travel becomes possible again, we are enjoying mid-day out doors picnics with friends, at the TLV nearby parks... or walks to the TLV beach.
TLV Beach
The End
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