“I represent a group of researchers at Ben-Gurion University, and mathematically, we are only three weeks away from a total collapse,” Prof. Dov Schwartz, former chief scientist for the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, told Ynet.

“We currently have 80 patients connected to ventilators, a number which doubles every ten days, meaning we will have 320 patients on ventilators within three weeks if we keep [the spread] at the same pace.”

Prof. Schwartz explained that the problem is not the lack of ventilators since Israel has enough but the lack of medical staff to operate them.

“A ward with 20 ventilated coronavirus patients requires 20 doctors and 90 nurses. We thought that towards the winter we will be able to train additional staff, which we recommended the government adds, but now it seems to not be possible.”

Prof. Schwartz believes a nationwide lockdown is necessary but adds that if the government is reluctant to implement one due to its harm to the economy, then at least only essential industries must remain open and a lockdown should be implemented in the evenings and weekends.

“Lockdown is the right mathematical option, it has been proven as an effective method to minimize the number of those contracting the virus and patients in serious condition,” Schwartz said, adding that elderly Israelis and other high-risk groups should voluntarily stay home for the next month.

Schwartz slammed the government for wasting valuable time on never-ending discussions on non-essential activities such as gyms, pools and restaurants.

“If there is no proof the place is harmless, it should not be open!” he said. “Therefore: no pools, no restaurants, no shuls and no gyms.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)