(Al-Monitor) Ben Caspit - Israel correctly responded to the coronavirus early in the game. The initial decisions to close Israel's airspace and limit entrance to people from China and other places were made just in time. This gave the country some breathing space before the virus actually erupted. The Israeli health system is viewed as successful and efficient. Israel has a national health insurance law that provides health coverage to all its citizens and a network of family and community clinics that are among the world's most developed. On the other hand, the numbers of nurses and intensive-care beds per capita are among the lowest in the West. The coronavirus caught Israel with less than 2,000 ventilators and a shortage of protective clothing, surgical masks, N95 masks, coronavirus test kits, and special swabs. Concerned that Israel might become like Italy, the prime minister tasked the Mossad with procuring the necessary medical equipment in the war against the coronavirus. On March 31, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett revealed that Israel has spent $560 million on its acquisition efforts.
2020-04-03 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive