Senior at Alon Headquarters: Although we bought time in the fifth wave, preparing for the amount of tests is not enough

The Alon headquarters are working hard to prevent the spread of the contagious strain, but even there they understand that there is currently no ability to control the epidemic.

The real default, however, is the unprecedented ban on citizens getting the most reliable medical test - PCR.

Senior officials criticize the situation: "Everyone should be entitled to be examined"

Meirav Cohen

10/01/2022

Monday, 10 January 2022, 17:00 Updated: 17:01

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

• Share on general

• Comments

  Comments

The Alon headquarters are working hard to catch up with the expansion capabilities of the Omicron variant, but even there they understand that the State of Israel does not currently have the ability to control the entire event. The labs have been the bottleneck of sampling and testing since the beginning of the epidemic. Israel has a very limited capacity on this issue, compared to the sampling that can grow.

For example: Yesterday, 250,000 PCR tests were performed and another 200,000 antigen tests, but the time to receive the result was extended from 24 hours to 36 hours. On days like theirs, at the headquarters the labs would be fined if they did not meet the 24-hour target, but there seems to be no choice at this point.

About two months ago, when the Omicron variant was first discovered in Israel, the policy was to 'buy time' until we learned the qualities of the new variety.

At this time the State of Israel had to prepare to increase its capabilities, having understood the expected amounts of contagion.

But even in the early stages it was decided not to increase the testing capabilities and not to open another laboratory.

The assumption was that we would reach the limit of capacity, as is currently the case, and that there would be a different policy regarding the tests, as announced by the Ministry of Health, according to which only at-risk populations are eligible for the most reliable test - PCR.

More on Walla!

Does not comply with the guidelines, contradicts the FDA: the holes in the new recommendation for home tests

To the full article

Corona tests in Be'er Sheva, today (Photo: Shai Makhlouf)

In no country in the world are citizens forbidden to be tested in the only test that gives the best result, even though many countries face infection records that have not been seen since the beginning of the epidemic.

Israel is exceptional in this management, hence the great criticism.

Prohibiting citizens from getting a reliable medical examination is the default.

Senior officials at Alon Headquarters agree that this is an improper situation: "If they had transferred money to us, we could have set up another laboratory, even within a month. But there is a budgetary problem in this wave and we need to manage risks in the best possible way."

The criticism of the executives is well heard, and they are trying to get the best out of the current situation.

"Israel should not behave in this way and every person should be entitled to be tested," the senior officials conclude.

Alon Headquarters (Photo: Official Website, IDF Spokesman)

Despite this, the Alon headquarters took advantage of the time for some important missions.

First and foremost - strengthening the protective system of fathers and mothers.

Continuous inspections conducted in senior institutions and welfare institutions showed that 63% of the verified are staff members who import the virus with them, and thus it was possible to keep patients in institutions.

Towards the height of the wave, Alon Headquarters is preparing for large numbers of critically ill patients.

The focus of epidemiological investigations will be on medical staff to maintain therapeutic continuity and avoid disabling the health care system as a result of mass isolation of medical staff.

Another focus will be at-risk groups.

This means that most citizens will not be part of the investigation system, and in addition there will be no investigations in educational institutions.

The person who will perform most of the tests will be the 'digital bot' of the Ministry of Health, which according to the data successfully completes 50% of the investigations.

The headquarters are also preparing for scenarios of the influx of paramedics and military paramedics into hospitals to reinforce the force in the corona wards.

• news

• Corona

Tags

• Corona virus

• Omicron variant