I took a family member yesterday for a Covid test in Jerusalem and spent this morning reporting at a vaccine center. The drive-in testing center was chaotic and the wait was over 4 hours. The vaccine clinic was quiet, efficient and altogether pleasant and orderly. Crazy contrast>

The fact that it’s much easier to get a Covid vaccine right now in Israel than it is to be tested for Covid tells you all you need to know about the haphazard handling of the epidemic. Netanyahu’s basing his re-election campaign on the vaccines but has given up on all the rest.

Handling of covid-19 was politicized by Bibi from Day One and now we’re at peak-politicization. Infection rates spiraling, hospitals full, contact-tracing still a shambles, economy reeling but we’re on track for having a majority of Israelis vaccinated by the March 23 election.

Meanwhile Netanyahu’s election trail consists of daily visits to vaccination centers across Israel and the ten! (so far) anti-Bibi parties are all squabbling between themselves and there’s no coordinated counter-message to “Bibi, the National Vaccinator”