To avoid a new lockdown, Israel tries to relieve pressure on hospitals

Delta infection surge comes as boosters given; 14 people who got third jab have tested positive; Haredi school year begins without Covid restrictions

PM said mulling plan to relieve pressure on hospitals, thereby avoiding lockdown (Times of Israel)
Emergency proposal would see increase in beds and nurses, some treatment transferred to HMOs, some seriously ill patients released to home treatment

TV: 14 Israelis who got 3rd shot later infected with COVID-19 (Times of Israel)
Limited data not enough to draw conclusions on booster’s effectiveness; ministers said to fight over potential lockdown, restriction exemption for shuls

Israel's ultra-Orthodox school year begins today without Covid restrictions (Haaretz)
The health and education ministries have also still not agreed on a COVID plan for the rest of Israel’s schools, where the school year opens on September 1

How Israel’s education minister became a hero to the country's Covid sceptics (Haaretz)
Yifat Shasha-Biton is arguably one of the most qualified lawmakers to ever run the Education Ministry. However, her plans for academic reform have been overshadowed by her resistance to a schools vaccination program

Photo: An elderly Israeli receives a third vaccine dose at a retirement residence in Jerusalem on August 4 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)