At the onset of closure relief, "routine medicine in the presence of the corona" should be produced and a proper response should be given to millions of patients who, due to the closure of the elective health care system, have rejected required surgeries and treatments

140 people have died of corona disease in recent months, and the State of Israel is making huge efforts to avoid the scenario that is happening before our eyes in New York, of exponential and rapid deaths. However, at the same time, quite a few people in Israel are dying and may continue to die of fear, fear of the virus which prevents them from turning to help for urgent medical problems. 

Corona virus questions and answers // Photo: Ministry of Health

The country's leadership is currently planning the detailed exit process after the Passover closure. Everyone understands that these eases do not mean a return to routine, but a return to a "routine in the presence of Corona," a routine that still involves physical remoteness, wearing a mask in public areas, preventing mass crowds and strict personal and environmental hygiene. And still - a routine, a certain normality within the global noise. 

However, in all discussions about the exit strategy, it seems that one essential system has been pushed to the margins of public interest: routine medicine. This critical array was one of the first "victims" of the emergency transition, with a set of guidelines for preparing to dramatically reduce hospital operations, with emphasis on elective (non-urgent) surgery, outpatient activities, and "armor" beds for corona patients. In the community, too, despite a dramatic increase in online activity, there has been an overall decline in visits. 

Clarification: The reference scenario to which the Ministry of Health is feasible if the disease is out of control, and it is critical to take advantage of the precious time we are preparing for the flood experienced by many European and US states.

Therefore, this is the time to increase emergency health care failure - to do everything to accelerate the recruitment and training of new health care workers, to invest resources in establishing new outpatient systems similar to Germany, which has doubled the number of ICUs in the country and builds new hospitals, and generously generates incentives and salary supplements for those teams. Medical risks that are now at the forefront for all of us. 

However, pending the realization (or failure to materialize) of the threatening attribution scenario, it may take months of "routine in the presence of the corona." Already, with the beginning of the closure relief, "routine medicine in the presence of the corona" has to be returned. In this new routine, a proper response should be given to millions of patients who, due to the closure of the elective health care system's gates, have rejected necessary surgeries, procedures and treatments.

Now, these values ​​need to be gradually returned to partially rated and considered activities. If we hold the system paralyzed for a period of months, patients will pay for their health.

And some patients, unfortunately, are already paying for their health. Due to the natural fear of the Corona, people also rejected rejection of emergency treatment and paid for their lives. It is important to remember: chest pain, deflection of the mouth, worsening of the condition of an adolescent suffering from depression - all these and their similarities should scare us more than the corona virus.

Any sign of an acute deterioration in the health status must also, at this time, contact the hospital or emergency room, depending on the severity of the condition. They, for their part, are ready, and carry out most separation that prevents infection. Corona's risk of visiting the health care system is negligible in relation to the risk of disability and irreversible damage from other diseases. If you feel bad - don't hesitate, go check it out and don't die in fear.

The writer is the head of the innovation system at Clalit Health Services