On Thursday, MDA in conjunction with the Health Ministry will be expanding its drive-thru testing program for coronavirus.
In addition to its permanent drive-thru centers in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Be'er Sheva, mobile centers will be set up in Beit Shemesh, Daburia, Deir al-Asad, Majd al-Chrom, Modi'in Illit, Sha'ar Binyamin, the Geula neighborhood in Jerusalem, and for the first time, in the northern towns of Ma'alot, the Golan regional council area, and Kfar Nin.
Later in the evening, after the conclusion of the daily Ramadan fast, two centers will be operating in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Jabal Mukaber and Har Hatzofim near A-Tur.
In addition, thousands of MDA responders and paramedics will be continuing to take samples at the homes of citizens who are unable to reach the testing centers, as well as from residents and staff of retirement homes across the country. Those who test positive are brought to coronavirus hotels; on Independence Day alone, around 40 people were taken to such hotels by MDA staff.
MDA staff are also taking plasma from people who have recovered from coronavirus, in order to give this plasma via infusion to patients who are in moderate to serious condition, thereby providing them with antibodies against the virus, according to a protocol that was developed by the Health Ministry's experts. So far, 183 people who have recovered from the virus have donated plasma, and 51 people have received it (each patient receives two separate infusions).
People who are at least two weeks after recovery are invited to donate plasma, in a simple procedure, and should call MDA at 03-9101101 for details, or send an e-mail to trumatplasma@mda.org.il.