New coronavirus commissioner named
Health minister warns: ‘ Haste is the devil’ • Infection rate declines to 2%
Prof. Nachman Ash was named on Tuesday as the new coronavirus commissioner instead of Prof. Ronni Gamzu, the Health Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
Ash’s appointment comes ahead of an expected vote on Thursday whether to open street shops, and as the virus’s infection rate declines.
Ash, 59, was the chief of the IDF Medical Corps from 2007 to 2011, and was the head doctor for the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit. He is expected to start Wednesday and transition into his new role on November 13 when Gamzu will officially return to his position as director- general of Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center.
Gamzu took the job in August and had committed to work as coronavirus commissioner until November 1.
Although Ash takes on the role at a time when the infection
rate is declining, he is also expected to face challenges from the government and society, who will want to open up fast and risk an increase in morbidity.
During a briefing he gave from Ziv Medical Center in Safed on Tuesday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein thanked Ash for “agreeing to take on this challenging role” and wished him success. He shared that Gamzu had agreed to stay on for a few days “to transfer the role in an orderly manner.”
Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, said that Ash’s greatest challenge will be to produce stability, and to make decisions based on professional, rather than political considerations.
Just one day prior, the coronavirus cabinet voted against experts’ opinion to shorten what was originally a ninestage program prepared by the Health Ministry to fewer stages. Beginning on Sunday, first through fourth graders will return to school. They will study in small groups and wear masks. The cabinet also agreed to allow after- school programs to operate with students from up to three classes.
In addition, it approved the re- opening of salons and other one- on- one activities and services ( driving lessons or personal training, for