A device that enables rapid detection of the virus will soon be activated in Clalit's hospitals and clinics.
Strengthening the corona testing system:
Clalit's hospitals and clinics will soon operate "Sofia", a device that allows the identification of virus carriers within a quarter of an hour.
Eleven devices will be provided to the fund's sampling centers in localities where high morbidity is recorded and two more will arrive at Meir and Soroka hospitals.
From the Facebook page of the Israeli Association of Internal Medicine
The receipt of the devices was agreed between Deputy Health Minister MK Yoav Kish and General Manager Prof. Ehud Dodson, and their use will begin immediately upon receipt of operating instructions from the Ministry of Health and the determination of the criteria for administering the test using them.
"The addition of 13 test devices, which give a result within 20-15 minutes, will improve the availability of corona tests and reduce the existing load on the laboratories," said Dr. Doron Netzer, head of the medical department at the Clalit Community Division. "The subjects will receive the answer at the sampling point. At the hospital or clinic, thus saving the need to wait for an answer. "
Clalit updated that "the device detects the corona virus SARS-CoV-2 using a method based on antigen detection using a direct swab specimen from the patient. The result - positive or negative for the corona virus - is obtained within only 20-15 minutes from the moment of sampling. The device allows detection with high certainty of Corona carriers especially in subjects with (symptomatic) symptoms.
"Subjects who receive a positive answer will be defined as corona carriers - and thus it will be possible to perform an immediate epidemiological investigation and severely interrupt the infection chain. When a negative answer is obtained - further testing by the standard sampling method (PCR) will be required."
Dr. Netzer notes that "in view of the jump in the number of patients, the scope of activity in hospitals and community clinics is on a scale we have not yet known as an example.
Clalit has more than 26,000 Corona vertebrae treated in their homes or hotels and hundreds of patients hospitalized.
We are in the midst of a significant health event where the teams are working around the clock to address all Israeli citizens.
I reiterate my call for adherence to the guidelines: wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, maintaining a physical distance and maintaining hygiene.
We are in a joint struggle to reduce the extent of the disease. "
