More than half of Israelis fear they can’t pay for basic expenses

One out of five Israelis (21%) suffers from depression, and the majority (55%) are scared they will not have enough money to cover basic expenses, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Sunday.

The statistics bureau study examined civil resilience compared with the first wave of COVID-19. It found that 19% of Israelis do not understand government health instructions.

Most Israelis (53%) do not trust that the government is able to protect them during the coronavirus crisis. During the first wave, 69% said they had faith in the emergency coalition.

Fifty-five percent of respondents said they did not have faith in the Finance Ministry to help the economic situation. In contrast, there were higher degrees of trust in public health agencies, with 62% of respondents trusting the Health Ministry and 77% confident in their healthcare provider. It remains to be seen how the appointment of a coronavirus “czar,” Prof. Ronni Gamzu, will influence these findings.

Some 2.4 million Israelis (42%) reported a growing feeling of stress and dread, compared with 33% during the first wave.

As the nation grapples with roughly one million people out of work and increased numbers of families seeking food aid, the Health Ministry reported a 4.5% increase of suicides compared with last summer, Maariv reported in June.

“Among those who commit suicide are many young people meant to be at the height of their career,” a Health Ministry official said. “It’s enough that a person doesn’t have the support of a family or a lot of savings to reawaken mental hardships from the past.”