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Israel's Response to the Coronavirus Challenge

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Dr. Yoel Donchin - 16 Israelis have now tested positive for the coronavirus, with 7 more cases identified in the Bethlehem area of the PA. Israeli and Palestinian medical professionals have undergone joint training on the threat, and Israel has sent 250 test kits to the PA, with each kit allowing for hundreds of tests. Given the current efforts and Israel's relatively small number of entry points, and assuming the disease course follows the current trajectory with only mild or asymptomatic disease in about 80% of cases, it is likely that Israel will succeed in hindering the spread of this virus while allowing most of its citizens to conduct their lives as normal. The writer is the chief medical officer at Israel's Ben-Gurion international airport, a professor of medical education at Hebrew University, and former director of Israel's public emergency medical response team.
2020-03-06 00:00:00
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