Covid-19 in Israel: pharmacies taken by storm, complicated management of tests
Audio 01:22
Queue for Covid-19 testing in Tel Aviv on January 4.
AP - Ariel Schalit
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Israel may be one of the world leaders in Covid-19 vaccination, but when it comes to managing PCR or antigen testing, the state of Israel faces the same challenges as other countries. .
With the surge in coronavirus cases, due to the Omicron variant, self-tests are out of stock.
Laboratories and pharmacies are taken by storm, giving rise to long queues.
The government promises to remedy this situation quickly.
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From our correspondent in Jerusalem
,
Sami Boukhelifa
In the basement of a shopping mall, Micha waits to be tested in a pharmacy.
This banker is a contact case.
He's only been waiting ten minutes for his turn, but he's already exasperated: “
It has become so complicated to get tested.
People spend hours in line.
Here at least, there are not many people, but it pays off.
The test costs around twenty
euros
”.
►Also read: In the midst of the Omicron wave, Israel changes its strategy against Covid-19
€ 20 for the antigen test.
For the PCR, it takes 35 euros, but not everyone is entitled to it.
This is the government's decision, says Randa, the nurse in charge of the tests.
"
Only people who are not vaccinated, or who have to travel abroad can do a PCR test
," she describes.
No systematic screening
The objective is to encourage a population triply vaccinated not to be systematically screened.
Many Israelis criticize this decision.
But not Gefen.
This young girl works in a restaurant.
One of his colleagues is positive, all employees must perform an antigen test.
She does it reluctantly.
“
We should now consider the coronavirus as a simple flu.
Being vaccinated when you contract this virus is not as bad as it used to be.
We have a bit of a sore throat, but it goes away after two days
, ”she said.
Especially since the antigenic tests are apparently not very reliable.
Half of them show erroneous results, according to an Israeli study published this week.
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