Pro. Eli Waxman, the chairman of the panel of experts that advises the National Security Council on the coronavirus pandemic, told Channel 12 News on Sunday that Israel “has lost control of the pandemic.”

Waxman explained that Israel is unable to control the rising amount of cases due to the fact that the cases are spread out throughout the country. “We don’t know where most of the cases were infected so we’re unable to control the outbreaks. We’re facing Israel’s greatest ever national civilian crisis.”

Waxman believes that if stricter regulations aren’t imposed immediately, the number of seriously ill patients will rise to 300 within the next three weeks and could reach 1,200 several weeks after that.

He warned that the government should forbid all gatherings of over 20 people, adding that if Israel doesn’t act immediately, the government will be forced to impose a full lockdown in two weeks.

Health Ministry Deputy Director Itamar Grotto told Army Radio on Monday that Israel’s reopening of the economy was too quick but added that he believes that it isn’t too late for Israel to regain control over the pandemic.

However, Asher Shalmon, head of the Health Ministry’s international department, told Army Radio that he believes that “the horses have already fled the barn.”

Shalmon explained that it’s almost impossible to conduct epidemiological investigations now that there are about 1,000 new cases on a daily basis.

“What works is a combination of targeted restrictions and public discipline,” Shalmon added.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)