As Israel grapples with a new outbreak of the coronavirus spurred by the Delta variant, health officials say that 30% to 50% of new cases are among those who have been vaccinated. But lest Israelis think their vaccinations were in vain, health officials say that those who are vaccinated are spared from serious illness. And the numbers attest to that as despite the rise in cases in the past week and a half, there has been a decrease in the number of seriously ill patients in Israel’s hospitals. As of Tuesday there are 21 seriously ill virus patients, ten less than the first week in June, and 14 ventilated patients, four less than the first week in June.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is urging Israel’s teenagers to get vaccinated amid an increase in coronavirus cases due to an outbreak of the Delta variant. “I’m appealing directly to teenagers,” Bennett said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday.  “We don’t want to impose any restrictions, not on parties, trips or on anything. But precisely because of this, if you don’t want restrictions, go get vaccinated today. Talk to your parents and get vaccinated.” “Masks instead of restrictions, vaccines instead of lockdowns,” the prime minister added. Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba, and Hertzliya were designated as yellow zones over the weekend. Binyamina, a town in the north, is still designated as a red zone, and Modiin and Kochav Yair are still orange zones. Bennett also announced that IDF Maj.-Gen.

Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said on Sunday that she plans on proposing an amendment to the coronavirus law that will sanction quarantine violators with a one-year ban on travel outside Israel. A NIS 5,000 fine has already been approved for quarantine violators so Shaked’s sanction would be in addition to the fine. Most of the current coronavirus outbreaks in Israel have been tied to Israelis who returned from abroad and violated quarantine laws. “It’s a simple enforcement tool,” Shaked told Ynet.

Israel reinstated the requirement to wear masks indoors beginning on Friday at noon amid a number of coronavirus outbreaks around the country. The Health Ministry also advised that people attending large gatherings outdoors also wear masks and recommended that unvaccinated people and those in high-risk groups avoid gatherings. Health Ministry officials are also considering reinstating restrictions on the number of people allowed at gatherings and requiring masks outdoors as well. The coronavirus cabinet is meeting on Sunday to discuss the steps necessary to curb the spread of the Delta variant. A resident of Modiin who is suspected of violating quarantine laws was questioned by police on Thursday.

What should I know about the delta variant? It’s a version of the coronavirus that has been found in more than 80 countries since it was first detected in India. It got its name from the World Health Organization, which names notable variants after letters of the Greek alphabet. Viruses constantly mutate and most changes aren’t concerning. But there is a worry that some variants might evolve enough to be more contagious, cause more severe illness or evade the protection that vaccines provide. Experts say the delta variant spreads more easily because of mutations that make it better at latching onto cells in our bodies. In the United Kingdom, the variant is now responsible for 90% of all new infections.

Israel’s Health Ministry will likely recommend reinstatement of the indoor mask mandate by Sunday due to the surge of coronavirus cases over the past week. The indoor mask mandate was lifted last week. Over 100 new virus cases were confirmed on Wednesday morning for the third day in the row. Also on Wednesday, the northern town of Binyamina, near Haifa, was declared a “red zone,” the first locale designated as such in months. The positivity rate in the town is 3%, ten times higher than the rest of Israel. There are currently 1,107 residents in quarantine in the town of about 15,000. “A decision has been made that once we have a daily average of 100 cases over one week, we will bring back masks in confined spaces,” Dr.

The coronavirus vaccine has no effect on male or female fertility, a study carried out by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer showed, according to a Jerusalem Post report. The study evaluated 36 couples who underwent unsuccessful fertility treatments before being vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and then came back for another round of fertility treatments afterward. The researchers thoroughly examined all criteria and found that the vaccines had absolutely no impact on any aspect of fertility. “We decided to carry out this research because many people are scared of the possible effects of the vaccines on fertility,” said Prof.

Israeli officials on Wednesday decided to postpone the entry of international tourists from countries with low coronavirus rates for at least a month (August 1st at the earliest) over the recent surge of COVID-19 in Israel. A meeting was held between Prime Minister Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, and the decision was made. The announcement comes on the second consecutive day that Israel confirmed over 100 new coronavirus cases, the highest number since April. The country was set to begin reopening to individual foreign tourists on July 1, based on the Health Ministry’s outline, but two coronavirus outbreaks in schools in Binyamina and Modi’in have led to the daily number of COVID cases spike to the highest since April.

The Philippine president has threatened to order the arrest of Filipinos who refuse COVID-19 vaccination and told them to leave the country if they would not cooperate with efforts to end a public health emergency. President Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his public outbursts and brash rhetoric, said in televised remarks Monday night that he has become exasperated with people who refuse to get immunized amid a health crisis then help spread the coronavirus. “Don’t get me wrong. There is a crisis being faced in this country. There is a national emergency. If you don’t want to get vaccinated, I’ll have you arrested and I’ll inject the vaccine in your butt,” Duterte said. “If you will not agree to be vaccinated, leave the Philippines.

Israeli health officials are considering reimplementing some coronavirus restrictions amid new coronavirus outbreaks around the country which are believed to be caused by the Indian variant. Some of the outbreaks in schools have been linked to Israelis who have returned from abroad, even those who have been vaccinated, and some of the Israelis who caught the new variant at home have been vaccinated. The Health Ministry on Sunday reinstated the requirement to wear masks in schools where outbreaks occurred, less than a week after the mask mandate was lifted. Itai Weisberg, the head of the Binyamina-Givat Ada local council, where one of the outbreaks occurred, told Reshet Bet on Monday morning that 76 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus.