Bennett orders group facilities to be opened for coronavirus patients

Three facilities, able to hold 1,000 people, will be opened in the north, south and center of the country

By ANNA AHRONHEIM
A paramedic adjusts his protective suit as he prepares outside a special polling station set up by Israel's election committee so Israelis under home-quarantine, such as those who have recently travelled back to Israel from coronavirus hot spots can vote in Israel's national election, in Ashkelon, I (photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
A paramedic adjusts his protective suit as he prepares outside a special polling station set up by Israel's election committee so Israelis under home-quarantine, such as those who have recently travelled back to Israel from coronavirus hot spots can vote in Israel's national election, in Ashkelon, I
(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett instructed the defense establishment on Saturday evening to prepare for a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Israel’s emergency inventory is full and is equipped to handle a variety of scenarios,” he said.
On Friday, the defense minister held a series of meetings with senior defense and government officials to discuss preparations for a possible state of emergency and ordered the defense establishment to immediately set up three group recovery facilities for individuals diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.
The decision, made following consultations with the prime minister and the health ministry, will the see defense ministry immediately locate, prepare and equip three group facilities opened across the north, south and central part of the country.
According to Bennett, the facilities, either hotels or empty boarding schools, will be able to hold 3,000 patients.
The group facilities will allow the health ministry to increase its ability to handle the growth of Israelis diagnosed with the virus, especially patients who are mildly ill with no need to be transferred to hospitals.
“The problem is that we don’t know how many people are carrying the virus and it could be another 150 or 500 or 1,000 diagnosed,” Bennett said. “We want to be prepared for the next step. We don’t want to get to the point that the health ministry can’t deal with the amount of patients like Italy.”
The facilities – which will open this week – will be an alternative to home isolation, where many of the Israelis diagnosed with the virus are currently being treated.
“Home quarantine is not enough,” Bennett told reporters. “Those diagnosed with the virus have to be isolated for at least five weeks before they aren’t contagious. Those who are sick and staying at home can transmit the virus to family members, who can then go out and infect others.”
The defense ministry said that the purpose of the facilities will be to concentrate all those carrying the virus into one location to “enable effective quarantine, prevent the risk of infection to family members and provide immediate medical response to patients” in case their conditions worsen.