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Israel's COVID-19 project manager Ronni Gamzu said on Tuesday that he looks forward to further advancing the country's relations with China as both sides battle the spread of the virus.
"We are sharing information and experience and trying to use the Chinese experience and technology. Many of our tests are being performed by BGI technologies, a leading Chinese life science technology firm," Gamzu said in a video briefing for foreign journalists and diplomats.
Israel has been facing a massive second wave of the COVID-19 virus since late May, said Gamzu, who was appointed by the Israeli government last month to lead the concerted efforts against COVID-19, adding that Israel was "going on the tip but doing so in order to avoid lockdown again."
After weeks of strict lockdown measures that began in the middle of March, the Israeli government eased measures in the middle of May. Soon after cases began to surge.
"We have to realize containing COVID-19 is not only medical challenge. It's a social, economic challenge that you have to balance," Gamzu said.
The country is currently almost fully open, with only few restrictions in place, mainly on large gatherings. Other countries with a far less severe infection rate have already reinstated harsher restrictions and lockdown measures.
"I am trying to balance, to achieve what is possible for the sake of health and the country with gradual steps," he said.
Gamzu said that his greatest challenge is that the government is facing the loss of credibility. The slow response to people's financial woes and often inconsistent and illogical directives have led many to doubt the government.
"The government is not taking steps because of lack of leadership, and it is not taking steps because there is leadership. We are pushing the entire system to try to combat and contain COVID-19 without a lockdown," Gamzu said.