In accordance with the health ministry’s guidelines, Magen David Adom is preparing to significantly increase the number of coronavirus tests throughout the country, reaching thousands of tests daily, Magen David Adom spokesman Zaki Heller announced Tuesday.
Most tests will be collected, starting Wednesday, in Drive through complexes, where citizens will arrive in their private vehicles, and will be tested while remaining seated in those vehicles.
To this end, MDA has established a Drive through complex in Tel Aviv, and another five in Haifa, Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeZion and Beersheba. The complexes will operate 24 hours a day, each one catering to between hundreds and thousands of Israelis every day.
The testing complexes are located in open air parking lots, enabling the continuous entry and exit of vehicles.
Each complex will feature MDA teams, police and security guards.
Patients who will not be able to access the complex without the use of public transportation will be tested at home.
Anyone approved by a physician to be tested will receive an SMS with the details of their appointment, and be asked to arrive at the designated complex at the specified hour.
As part of the testing process, patients will arrive in their private vehicles, be identified and then tested by an MDA paramedic fully clad in protective gear. On Monday, hundreds of bearded EMTs and paramedics who work or volunteer at Magen David Adom shaved their beards to properly wear the anti-infection protective masks.
The patients will remain in their vehicle throughout the process, and then drive back directly to their homes.