How Israel prevented an even larger COVID-19 disaster

As we struggle to recover economically and physically from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to understand just how severe the crisis could have been had it not been for EMS services like MDA.

By YEHUDA SKORNICK
MDA checking station at Ben Gurion Airport (photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)
MDA checking station at Ben Gurion Airport
(photo credit: MAGEN DAVID ADOM)
Israel’s premier EMS service has been in the headlines quite a bit in recent weeks, due to its role in assisting the public during the coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, Magen David Adom has worked side by side with the IDF, the Health Ministry and Israel’s healthcare providers to assist Israelis through this challenging time.
There is another part of the story, however, that must be told in order to fully understand not only the scope of the virus, but also how the world can better prepare for such events in the future.
At the end of April, a paper was published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine explaining that MDA’s method in combating COVID-19 proved critical in preventing an even larger pandemic, and outlined how other countries can better prepare for such an event in the future. MDA’s approach, and structure of more than 24,000 volunteers who undergo professional medical training year-round, enabled Israel to save countless lives and prevented the possible collapse of hospitals in a mass-casualty, contagious-disease pandemic.
Since MDA’s inception 90 years ago, its purpose has been to provide real-time medical assistance to members of the public, of any race, religion or characteristic. As a result of Israel’s many challenges throughout its 72 years, MDA was forced to become better, faster and stronger. From responding to wars, bombings, stabbing attacks and disease, MDA has literally been on the front lines of every battle, not to wage war but to save lives.
Over the decades, the world has changed. Today, economies around the world are reeling from drastic measures. Countries have been forced to cope with the pandemic. As Israel’s numbers of infections continue to drop, and COVID-19 numbers in other countries continue to rise, it is critical to understand both how and why MDA’s tactic to stop the spread of the virus have worked.
From the start of the pandemic, MDA set up emergency call centers with hundreds of volunteers to help inform the public about what they needed to know should they encounter someone with coronavirus, or if they had recently traveled. MDA’s call centers began by answering around 6,000 calls per day, and rapidly grew to over 100,000 calls each day.
VOLUNTEERS AND staff were trained to provide accurate information on the Health Ministry’s guidelines, as well as medical advice and instructions at each stage of the process of being diagnosed and treated with COVID-19. If patients had traveled, it was MDA that took note and instructed them to remain in quarantine, and it was MDA medical teams who followed up if and when patients had symptoms. When patients needed to be tested, MDA medics suited up in protective gear and brought the medical tests to the patients in quarantine, rather than have the patients risk exposing others by going to the hospital.
Even post-diagnosis, MDA medical staff assisted patients under the instruction of the Health Ministry and medical doctors, whether cases were severe and needed hospitalization or simply required monitoring at home. And when patients needed transfers to hospitals, it was MDA that took them there. As cases expanded, MDA launched drive-through testing centers to keep up with the needs of the public, still minimizing hospitalizations as much as possible. More than 240,000 COVID-19 tests were conducted by MDA alone.
MDA’s expertise and manpower at every step of the process was one of the primary reasons that Israel’s hospitals were not overcrowded, and the reason why medical staff and teams were able to provide the highest quality care to all citizens who needed it. They also allowed early detection for COVID-19, which prevented wide-scale spread of the virus early on. Additionally, MDA’s medics saved countless lives by continuing to provide everyday medical emergency services without having to take each patient to a hospital, which could potentially expose them to coronavirus.
As we struggle to recover economically and physically from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to understand just how severe the crisis could have been had it not been for EMS services like Magen David Adom.

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As Israelis, we take it upon ourselves to do all we can to protect life. MDA is proud to have trained numerous nations in emergency response. In any crisis – whether natural or man-made – we will continue our mission to protect Israelis and keep them safe, and to help all nations of the world develop and create better systems to prevent disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The writer is one of Israel’s leading surgeons, and has authored approximately 200 articles in medical publications.


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