Jerusalem: Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett and senior aides were holed up in a war bunker on Thursday during an exercise simulating the outbreak of a deadly new COVID-19 variant.
He described a day-long “omega drill”, named after a hypothetical virus strain, as a precaution to ensure Israel was prepared for “any scenario”.
nuclear explosion-proof complex in Jerusalem Hills, known as “National Management Center“, was also used in March 2020 to coordinate initial responses to the new coronavirus.
Israel imposed a lockdown to try to contain three waves of COVID-19, but has kept the economy and schools open since the fourth wave in June, relying on measures including vaccinations, booster shots and protective masks.
Bennett’s office said in a statement that the drill included mass testing of civilian and military leaders, hospitalizations and curfews. The findings of the exercise will be shared with foreign partners.
“Israel is safe and secure. To maintain it and maintain the continuity of normal life, we must continue to monitor the situation closely and be prepared for any scenario,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
The statement said there was nothing to indicate that the government believed a deadly new coronavirus strain was imminent.
It also did not mention any potential flare-ups in fighting enemies between drill scenarios.
The bunker was built more than a decade ago due to concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and missile exchanges with Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
He described a day-long “omega drill”, named after a hypothetical virus strain, as a precaution to ensure Israel was prepared for “any scenario”.
nuclear explosion-proof complex in Jerusalem Hills, known as “National Management Center“, was also used in March 2020 to coordinate initial responses to the new coronavirus.
Israel imposed a lockdown to try to contain three waves of COVID-19, but has kept the economy and schools open since the fourth wave in June, relying on measures including vaccinations, booster shots and protective masks.
Bennett’s office said in a statement that the drill included mass testing of civilian and military leaders, hospitalizations and curfews. The findings of the exercise will be shared with foreign partners.
“Israel is safe and secure. To maintain it and maintain the continuity of normal life, we must continue to monitor the situation closely and be prepared for any scenario,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
The statement said there was nothing to indicate that the government believed a deadly new coronavirus strain was imminent.
It also did not mention any potential flare-ups in fighting enemies between drill scenarios.
The bunker was built more than a decade ago due to concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and missile exchanges with Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
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