Sheba Tel-Hashomer Hospital Infectious Diseases Unit head Professor Galia Rahav and former Health Ministry Director Professor Yoram Lass debated about coronavirus as part of the Maariv conference.
Prof. Yoram Lass – video capture, Aloni Mor
Prof. Lass argued, “We’re talking only about data and not personal experiences. The data say that there was no first wave in Israel. The word epidemic cannot be used when there’s no excess mortality. In Europe, excess mortality was less than the 2018 influenza excess mortality. The European epidemic ended 3 weeks ago, no second wave of mortality. I’m not avoiding to debate about the U.S., but it’s the country with the worst public health system in the world. And back to Israel, there’s certainly no second wave. An honest person can’t talk about an epidemic when mortality goes down.”
Rahav responded, “I ask Professor Lass to withhold such sentences from people who are dying to hear them, because it’s dangerous and irresponsible. In terms of numbers, just looking at the mortality rate isn’t correct. I work in a hospital where 50% of those recovered still have to deal with after-effects. It’s not that they just went home healthy; they’re in a long rehabilitation. I see so many people in the community who walk around with coronavirus and they have so many bad medical symptoms that they can’t handle it anymore. The health system is very problematic. The second wave is worse than the first. It’s not right to count mortality. Cases of new serious patients need to be counted.”
Prof. Lass replied, “A million people are sitting at home; people can’t marry so as to give Sheba Hospital medical experiences. Ichilov Hospital joined me; a pity they didn’t join me three months ago. This means destruction of the State of Israel. In the winter there will be thousands of seriously ill patients. A thousand people will die, we have… never destroyed the State of Israel in the winter. In Europe, there’s ten percent more flu epidemic.”
Prof. Lass continued: “There’s an illusion in the world that says a government can stop a virus. The virus is everywhere and no government can stop it. In winter, due to influenza viruses, between 5-10 percent of the population are infected. In tests done until now: 5 percent of the tests are positive. In my estimation, a million Israelis are positive.”
Source: Arutz Sheva Staff