Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical service has been busy — very busy — over the past couple of weeks, but events have just kicked the pace up a notch with the need for a special hotline for calls dealing with the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Within an 18-hour period, the medical service received approximately 5,000 calls pertaining to the coronavirus at its 101 emergency call center, said MDA National Disaster Management Coordinator Chaim Rafalowski. About 1,000 of those calls were redirected to the special coronavirus hotline at the Health Ministry, the health insurance companies (kupat holim) and MDA to be addressed.
“From tomorrow morning (Monday) we will operate a unique service MDA paramedics will go to the homes of those who are suspected of having the coronavirus and need to be tested, in order to prevent them from traveling from their homes to the hospitals. Our paramedics have special protective equipment will go there, take the test and we will deliver them to ensure a safe environment to everyone,” Rafalowski said.
“The only way we will be able to handle and prevent an outbreak of Corona in Israel is working together. Magen David Adom, Ministry of Health and the public; from here we are calling the public to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
“This is the only way we will win this situation.”