SPREADING RESEARCH AND COMBATING MISINFORMATION

Davidovitch, who serves as Israel’s official representative on the Executive Committee of the European Public Health Association and is sometimes called the “Israeli Fauci” for his public-facing role during the pandemic, is passionate about helping other countries learn from Israel’s successful vaccination programs, and advocating for more equitable access to health care for all.

Davidovitch and other health officials estimate that the first year of the vaccine roll-out saved more than 20,000 lives in Israel. “Without vaccines, instead of 8,500 people, we’d have close to 30,000 people dying – and that would be a disaster,” Davidovitch told Haaretz.

Although Davidovitch credited the fast spread of information with helping researchers, there is also a problematic aspect to the quick exchange of information. Misinformation about COVID-19 can spread like wildfire through social media and the internet. He warned that an “infodemic” of spreading false information can be just as dangerous as the pandemic itself.

If the best protection against the pandemic is the vaccine, then the best protection against the “infodemic” is education, Davidovitch believes.