Yonatan HaLevy wants to mask, jab your kids but doesn’t know why
Professor Yonatan HaLevy is the president of Shaarei Zedek Medical Center in Israel and one of the foremost “health experts” revered by Israeli media. He is also the voice of the Coronavirus National Information Headquarters’ ad campaign to get over-60s vaccinated with the fourth shot.
HaLevy is also on the Health Ministry’s Council of Health.
But when asked why he’s pushing a mask mandate when even the Health Ministry says there is no scientific basis, the health expert's response was disappointing.
In an episode of Orly & Guy Sunday, Orly presented HaLevy with a letter from the Health Ministry in response to a FOIA request. In the letter, the Health Ministry unequivocally posits that “there is no strong scientific basis” for a mask mandate. The letter even goes so far as to say that the public “should be made aware that the harm [of wearing masks] may outweigh the benefit.”
HaLevy was caught off guard by the letter, but nevertheless refused to back down, saying that unlike whoever wrote the letter, he spends a lot of time on the hospital grounds and in the COVID-19 ward.
It is unclear how HaLevy measures the success of masks in the hospital.
But according to research, wearing masks offers an 11% decrease in infections for those over 50 years old. Another study found that there was no benefit at all.
HaLevy instead said, “I refuse to be part of your shocking counteraction.”
Guy then posed a personal question to HaLevy:
“How do you live with yourself in silence, as a father, as a grandfather and as an Israeli citizen knowing that children are sitting in school for 7-8 hours a day with masks on...when all the seniors, including ministers whom I sit with don’t wear masks?”
Guy also mentioned airlines like British Airways who don’t mandate masks and how many countries around the world have already lifted mask mandates.
In response, HaLevy said that his children are fine with it.
“I have 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and they all walk around with masks,” said HaLevy. “Some of them are schoolchildren, some of them are older – I have a grandchild in fifth grade whose name is David and I always see him in a mask without any problem.”
After referring to Omicron as “a harsh wave”, he added: “I still declare by looking at my 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren that wearing masks in school isn’t as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.”
Throughout the rest of the discussion, HaLevy began to make wild claims.
When they arrived at the topic of the COVID-19 vaccines, Professor Yarom Lass, who HaLevy described as his mentor, said the vaccine is “important” but railed against the mandate.
“It is forbidden to force vaccinations, it is an assault on human rights, on children’s rights!” Lass said passionately.
“Who’s forcing them?” HaLevy replied.
The other members appeared astonished, as Israel has been known as the first country to bar the unvaccinated from society.
“’Who’s forcing them?’” Lass echoed. “They told your cute grandchildren, Jonathan... ‘either get vaccinated or don’t come to school.”
HaLevy’s response was smug and offered no rationale for forcing children to vaccinate.
“They didn’t need to be told that because they were already vaccinated based on their grandfather’s directive,” he said.
He then went on to claim that “this vaccine is one of the safest vaccines in history,” despite extensive evidence to the contrary, including hundreds of thousands of reported adverse side effects.
Last month, Israel’s government extended its indoor mask mandate, which was supposed to expire on April 1st, for another month.
