In an interview with Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad, Professor Gabi Barbash referred to the latest outbreaks of the Corona virus and claimed that it is a new and more contagious strain: “Everyone who flies abroad has a high chance of meeting the Indian variant”
The former Director General of the Ministry of Health, Professor Gabi Barbash, spoke this evening (Monday) with Ben Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on their program on Radio 103FM about the latest outbreaks of the Corona virus in Israel, and about the unusual events in Israel. At the beginning of the interview, the former senior responded to the words of the professor Prof. Nachman Ash, saying: “We are not worried, but vigilant.”
Professor Barbash estimated that “the Indian variant is probably different from what was known until today, and it is much more contagious.” He added: “We have populations that are exposed to it such as children, including those who can or cannot be vaccinated, and adults whose vaccination has not caught on or has faded.” The former Director General of the Ministry of Health also noted that close to half of the newly verified people for Corona are vaccinated people: “This is about 40 percent of the newly verified ones, and the meaning is that the variant is very contagious.”
The former official explained that “at this stage it is not known whether the morbidity is a result of the decrease in antibodies in the vaccinated or whether it is the Indian variant”. He emphasized: “The question arises as to whether there will be a third injection of the vaccine we have already received or are we waiting to see what happens and check whether a vaccine is being developed for the new variant. The issue should not be treated with disdain.”
“We need to address the issue of rabies and wearing masks where there is an outbreak. We kept saying that the epidemic is not over, it never ends abruptly, I hope the variant does not spread too much here,” he emphasized, “travelers abroad have a good chance of meeting the Indian variant, I would not take unvaccinated children abroad this summer”.
At the end of his remarks, the former Director General of the Ministry of Health recommended not to give up wearing masks, at least in the Republic of Belarus and in schools: “Masks are the most effective means against the transmission of the virus, and I think that in the Republic of Belarus where there are people from all kinds of places and schools, you must go around with Masks. I would wear a mask on public transport even if I am vaccinated.”