This Hebrew chart shows the dangers of various situations for transmitting Covid 19. The note says that the actual danger depends on the observance of the rules including wearing a mask, social distancing and hand washing.
A new study from New York including 500 epidemiologists examined what they felt were the dangerous places, most conducive for contagion from the Covid virus. The experts treated certain variables such as place — open or closed areas — people contained within that space, length of time occupying that area and scope of the security rules kept in that duration.
The results of the survey upset part of the myths involving contagion from the virus, showing that places and activities with the lowest threat of contagion were in outdoor parks and the low risk activity was refueling at gas stations. Higher up, but still considered low risk were outdoor dining, single visits to shops and leisure time at the beach, even if it was crowded. Medium risk was assessed as visits to swimming pools, closed shopping malls and hair dressing salons. High risk was scored by the epidemiologists
on airline flights, exercise halls, public transportation and indoor eateries.
The greatest risk of contagion was found to be at large gatherings of events even outdoors where social distancing was not observed, and these have duly been limited to 50 participants in Israel. Also public swimming pools and mass events like weddings, sleep-away camps and public demonstrations, and all other forms of entertainment with overcrowding. They also found similar high risk at events taking place in crowded stadiums or auditoriums.
It should be noted that many countries did not institute controls of public gatherings and events until relatively late after the initial outbreak of the epidemic, when they issued recommendations against such gatherings within closed areas, especially where there were masses not adhering to the recommended distance provisions.
A report from the National Information Center for the Combat against Corona which was made by the Army Intelligence division concurred that mass events in closed areas without the recommended spacing certainly intensified the rate of contagion.
Chairman of the Union of Doctors for Public Health, Professor Chagai Levine, said: "Extended stays are to be forbidden and one must limit social events at once, and conduct everything according to the premise that any single person might be a virus carrier. While it is very sad to postpone weddings, nevertheless it can be much gloomier when weddings turn into funerals."
Professor Levine added that "it was an error to begin with to allow such events already in the middle of June [in Israel] when there was a definite rise in the numbers of those stricken."
He calls upon the Health Ministry to publicize information and epidemiologic studies regarding contagion through participation in public events. "Even now, we should not have to wait for legislation. If I were invited to a wedding, I would not attend, and if it were a personal event, I would cancel it," he stated.
A study released by researchers at the Hebrew University also noted that at the beginning of June, the contagion was mostly in the younger population which is less threatened with complications, involving mainly educational institutions. However afterwards, when larger public gatherings were permitted and the possibility of contagion from combined populaces of young and older, the contagion expressed itself within ten days with a rise in the number of hospitalizations.
Researcher Professor Ronit Calderon Margalit from the Hadassah and Hebrew University School of Public Health notes, "Halls for public events were opened in the middle of June allowing for participation of 250 people. Immediately afterwards, we saw a most significant rise in moderate to severe infection, proving that the decision to allow the opening of such halls was defective."
An analysis to the deaths of the 250 people who died from Corona in Israel was summarized in a report issued by the Health Ministry, showing that the Number One other condition suffered was high blood pressure, with 72%. 50% of the victims suffered from heart disease, 40% from diabetes and 40% from neurological problems.
