New interministerial pilot aims to prevent COVID-19 infections in JLM
Titled "Security and Welfare," the initiative is planned to be piloted in the neighborhood of Ramot in Jerusalem.
By TOBIAS SIEGALRamot 521(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
A collaboration between the Defense Ministry, the Labor and Welfare Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality has produced an initiative aimed at maintaining public health and preventing coronavirus infections within communities in areas with high morbidity rates.Titled "Security and Welfare," the initiative is planned to be piloted in the neighborhood of Ramot in Jerusalem, one of the neighborhoods that has produced the highest numbers of confirmed patients in the city.As part of the collaboration, project managers will be trained by the IDF Home Front Command and Jerusalem municipality, and will accompany some 180-200 families with confirmed patients from Ramot, while providing extra support to patients who live alone and require closer attention.The project is meant to provide families with a range of services, including assistance with acquiring food if needed, medical consultation, keeping quarantine restrictions properly, providing transportation to designated coronavirus hotels if need be and personalized support, depending on individual issues.The Defense Ministry and the Labor and Welfare Ministry have allocated a budget of NIS 220,000 for the project. Most of the budget will be directed to local authorities. The Labor and Welfare Ministry, assisted by the Home Front Command, will supervise and accompany the distribution of funds according to the project's various objectives.The pilot will last for one month. After examining the initial results and effectiveness of the project, the Defense Ministry will decide whether or not to continue the project and expand it to more neighborhoods.Noting the unique contribution of this pilot as opposed to previous attempts, Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a statement that "one of the major challenges in combating the coronavirus is the ability to reach every citizen, in the right way, and to sever the chain of infections."Labor and Welfare Minister Itzik Shmuli congratulated the collaboration between the offices, while noting that "the emphasis should be put on the weaker communities that are suffering twice as much, both from the pandemic and from the economic crisis. Our goal is to make sure they have everything they need."Also addressing the pilot, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said: "Today, Jerusalem offers a different model for preventing the spread of coronavirus in Jerusalem's neighborhoods. This model is more connected to the people and uses the community for maintaining restrictions, reaching coronavirus hotels and assisting the residents," adding, "I believe that we will be seeing results very soon and will be able to expand the project to the rest of the country."
