Nearly one million people worldwide are infected with the virus, but tens of millions are infected with fear - and the result is tragic • Patients in need of critical care avoid it because of concern • The Ministry of Health and the HMOs have ways to mitigate the problem, and they must act before the consequences for the corona casualties are severe • Opinion

In recent days, hard evidence has been accumulating by senior doctors in hospitals and health clinics, saying that many patients in serious condition requiring urgent care and saving lives are prevented from attending hospitals and health centers because of public concern about the Corona infection.

Corona fight: PM Netanyahu announces stricter restrictions // Photo: GPO

Already, it can be said, unfortunately, that patients have suffered very severe damages, and that further very serious damages, some irreversible, may result in hundreds or even thousands of patients. However, because of the intensity of the global corona crisis, these results were to be expected and the Ministry of Health had to prepare them a few weeks ago. He has not done so until now in a satisfactory and proper manner, as he was obliged to.

When the Ministry of Health itself calls on the public in Israel, and especially the elderly, to stay in homes, while the Ministry of Health forbids any encounters with other people, and when the anxiety of the Corona soars - it was only a matter of time before the Corona would make it difficult for patients in life-threatening situations to avoid To the emergency rooms. This is when it is actually these patients who are most likely to be severely injured if the corona virus is to be blotted out.

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Because Corona Hospitals have been operating for several weeks in an emergency that disrupts the medical work routine, thousands of planned surgeries and treatments have been canceled which are not urgent but are essential for many patients, and there are many departments that are closed as already over 3,500 medical and nursing staff are in isolation 100 of the medical and nursing staff were infected with the disease.

Also, some 50,000 Israelis are now in home isolation, and there is concern among senior doctors that while isolating some Israelis are refraining from attending essential medical care. In addition, the psychiatric and geriatric rehabilitation services are also severely impaired, and this in itself greatly exacerbates the medical and mental health of patients in Israel.

The Ministry of Health must urgently work with hospitals and health funds to formulate ways to minimize this serious injury to patients. While they may not be counted in the number of corona patients, they may be part of the virus's spread. The Ministry of Health, the four HMOs and hospitals have many ways in which it must act to mitigate the problem, which could be far worse than the MOH's toughest predictions on the Corona casualties.

In an important article written this week by Dr. Racheli Wilf-Meron, a specialist in pediatrics and medical administration, a former Maccabi senior, and Sister Moore Savannah, who completed her PhD in Emergency Medicine - they warned that there was a very urgent need to formulate an adequate response to such a dangerous response to medical treatment.

"Such a move could save lives and prevent deterioration in the health situation, which will affect the population and the health system in Israel for a very long time after leaving the Corona crisis."