Israeli public health officials said on Monday that several dangerous COVID variants have begun to develop in a number of countries around the world.
One variant, the Lambda variant, has been spreading rapidly throughout South America, especially in Peru, and has been found in 29 countries, including Germany, Spain, the UK and the US, where at least 152 cases have been reported in California.
The Lamda variant is thought to be less infectious than the Delta variant but more infectious than COVID-19. However, preliminary research has shown that it is at least somewhat resistant to existing vaccines.
The WHO reported in June that “Lambda has been associated with substantive rates of community transmission in multiple countries, with rising prevalence over time concurrent with increased COVID-19 incidence.”
Speaking at a meeting of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee on Monday, Dr. Asher Shalmon, head of the Health Ministry’s International Relations Department, said that if the Lambda variant enters Israel, “it would be a game-changer, namely, it would make imposing a lockdown inevitable and we’re trying to avoid that.”
“The more the world gets vaccinated, the fewer strains we’ll see. The attempt to delay the introduction of new strains into the country is meant to allow more people to get vaccinated.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
I’m not anti-vax, but the push to get you to take the covid vax is puzzling to me… Israel has the biggest vaaxing success and yet they keep on considering more lockdowns, blaming un-vaccinated, while the new strains resist the vaccines… come on man!
Looks like you bit the Bennet dust!! “The Lamda variant is thought to be less infectious than the Delta variant but more infectious than COVID-19” the delta variant IS covid-19, it should have said, more infectious than other variants of covid-19!!
bottom line get vaccineted ??????????????????
I hope that doesn’t arrive but should it arrive, I urge them to seriously consider a lockdown for Rosh Hashanah And yom kippur. And don’t feel guilty about it. Because can you imagine saying I prefer davening with a minyan even if people will get killed. Oy would you need a kappara
When 98% of the public is vaccinated, they will still blame outbreaks on the 2%. Never mind whether those with antibodies are less or more susceptible than those who are vaccinated. They will never acknowledge that the vaccines are much less effective against the variants than they originally predicted. And Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube will continue to silence anyone who dares to contradict the pathetic narrative that vaccines are highly effective in stopping the spread of corona variants, even as everyone can see the lies for what they are. At this point, whatever Dr. Faux (Chi) says, assume the opposite until proven otherwise.