Israeli President Reuven Rivlin continued his round of visits to support medical teams dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, on Thursday visiting Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) in ' Yaakov.
The hospital has six coronavirus wards.
Rivlin was escorted on his visit by hospital director Dr. Osnat Levtzion-Korach, ICU head Dr. Eddy Aligayev, head of research and development Prof. Shai Efrati, and R&D center partner Sami Sagol.
The president was briefed on the work of the medical teams during the coronavirus pandemic and performed an innovative breath test developed by Scentech Technologies, which gives an instant diagnosis for coronavirus and which is in use at the hospital.
The device identifies coronavirus by analyzing the patient’s breath. This check could replace the swab test, giving instant results and without an invasive test. Rivlin then visited the hospital’s hyperbaric chamber, used for treating those with corona, and heard of its uses in treating the disease.
Thanking the medical teams who are on the front line of the battle against corona, Rivlin said, “All of you – support staff, maintenance, nurses and doctors – have proved over the last months who strong you are and how important.”
He added, “Personally and on behalf of all Israelis, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for the boundless dedication, for your work, for fighting against this disease - each and every one of you, for us all. You’re the best.”
Rivlin then addressed his remarks to the public sentiment during the extended lockdown, saying, “While we are fighting on the front line of corona here, and this is truly the front line, behind us the plagues of desperation and isolation are running havoc. The side effects of those diseases will be with us for long years to come, after corona is gone. Unfortunately, there is no-one whose job it is to end the plague of desperation and isolation.”
“The widescale breaches of the lockdown instructions are deeply concerning. They raise fundamental questions for every citizen regarding life in a normal state and our ability to survive the challenges we face, together, all the groups that comprise Israeli society.
“Many people, too many, most Israeli citizens, from all parts of our society, are sitting at home today with a feeling that they are the last ‘suckers’ who are following the regulations.
“I want to say to you – we will fight this terrible plague only through personal responsibility, concern for those dear to us, by following the instructions strictly, by putting aside the corrosive and puerile question of ‘but why are they behaving like that?’”
He added, “I implore you from here: be suckers and be healthy. Be suckers and be responsible for yourselves and your society. Even if around us and around you there are those who behave differently, and put themselves and us at risk. No breach of the regulations is legitimate, not for any group or any individual. The regulations must be enforced equally, without fear or favor. But even the widespread breaches of the regulations by many people does not legitimize hatred towards whole groups, and it certainly does not legitimize other breaches.”
“The rising tension is also inflaming the election campaign that is running in parallel, with every breach of the lockdown regulations cynically exploited for political needs and turned into propaganda. You who are stoking the bonfire of anger and mutual loathing, remember that we will not forget this after the election results are delivered to the President’s Residence. We never have and never will win from a place of hatred. Now is the time for personal responsibility and now is the time for responsible leadership.
“My call is also to Israel’s leaders: Along with your demands of us to follow the regulations as required, we expect you to show us the endgame, to lay out the route back to normality, to life together after the pandemic. History tells us that only with hope and hard work can we achieve victory.”
At the end of his remarks, the president implored the public to go and get vaccinated in order to maximize the chance that we all get out of this deep crisis as soon as possible.
Dr. Osnat Levtzion-Korach, director of Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), said: “We thank the President for visiting Shamir Medical Center. There is no question that we have been dealing with a complex challenge over the last year, the likes of which we have never seen before, with over 1500 coronavirus patients in six special and isolated wards.”
“Our medical and nursing staff are doing vital work around the clock, with great love and professionalism that is praiseworthy, with belief and a sense of mission that this is a hospital with ‘ground-breaking, humane medicine.’ The President’s warm words on his visit here today touched the hearts of every one of the people who work here, and I thank him for that from the bottom of my heart.”
