Most Serious Covid Patients Over 60 with Out-of-Date Vaccinations

Most of Israel’s coronavirus cases currently requiring hospitalization consist of people over 60 whose vaccinations have lost effectiveness over time.

Coronavirus commissioner Prof. Salman Zarka said on Thursday that there are over 100,000 people over age 60 who have yet to get a third shot, and urges them “to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

Zarka also advises people in at-risk groups due to age or pre-existing medical conditions to avoid public events and gatherings.

“People who feel unwell and have signs of respiratory illness — stay home,” Zarka added.

Addressing the pressure on hospitals due to the volume of cases spiraling rapidly upward, combined with the thousands of health workers currently quarantined, he said that “stress on the health system…is growing and we’re considering closing down non-urgent services as needed.”

Hospital administrators are braced for crisis conditions in the coming weeks, as the emergence of serious illness occurs several days if not weeks after infections. Experts have warned that the number of serious patients that could go as high as 2,500, which would severely strain the health system.

Samson Assuta Ashdod Hospital General Director Dr. Erez Barenboim told The Jerusalem Post: “At this point in time, two weeks after the beginning of the fifth wave, according to most estimates, we were expecting to receive and treat a larger number of hospitalized patients, including critically ill patients.”

At present, the hospital has only 25 patients with coronavirus, mostly admitted because of other problems, and no one in serious condition.

“We still have a long way to go, but we can speak in terms of cautious optimism. “However, I am much more concerned about the constant increase in the number of medical staff in isolation. As their number rises, it will be more difficult for the health system and the hospitals to provide various medical and health services,” Barenboim said.

As of Thursday, 5,657 medical personnel were in quarantine around the country.