Consistent Testing to Rule Out Infection
Earlier this month, during the daily physical examinations mandated by ADIโs extreme sterilization protocols, it was determined that two members of the medical staff at ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran, our residential and rehabilitative village in the Negev, had contracted Coronavirus (COVID-19) from an unknown source outside the facility. With the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and on-the-ground assistance from Magen David Adom paramedics and the IDFโs Home Front Command, we were able to quickly and efficiently remove all staff and residents from potential danger zones, sterilize all suspect residences and wards, conduct extensive testing to rule out infection, and implement the most stringent quarantine procedures.
Thanks to ADIโs extreme sterilization protocols, which follow the strictest guidelines set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, we have been able to thwart threats of mass contamination and keep our immunocompromised population safe and secure.
This week, thanks to a change in policy by the by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and with the assistance of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and Social Services, we were able to take the next big step: proactively administering more than 300 tests โ for every staff member and resident at ADI Negev โ to rule out infection before it becomes a serious threat. The testing was carried out by several teams of hardworking and highly skilled Magen David Adom paramedics under the guidance of our head nurse.
We are so grateful to Mr. Israel Budik, Southern District Manager at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, for making this proactive testing a reality, and to Shimon Alcovei, Director of Magen David Adom in the Negev Area and all of his dedicated volunteers for administering the tests and doing everything in their power to keep our ADI staff and residents out of harmโs way during these uncertain times. We are forever in your debt.
Quarantine Canโt Quell Passover Spirit at ADI
Though our ADI residents are split into very small groups and our staff has been thinned dramatically in adherence with the strictest sterilization standards, each โmini familyโ had a wonderfully festive Passover experience thanks to the positivity, creativity and drive of our professional staff and volunteers across the country.
At the beginning of the holiday, each group learned about the different elements of the Passover Seder, had delicious meals in their respective residences, sang holiday songs, and dressed up in costumes to tell the Passover story. Each subsequent day featured fun and interactive activities that enhanced the holiday spirit and kept the residents smiling from ear to ear. All the while, the ADI residents continued to receive the highest level medical and rehabilitative care, as always.
Despite the restrictions of quarantine, it was a truly beautiful Passover at our ADI centers. Still, we very much look forward to next Passover: next year TOGETHER in Jerusalem!
Emergency Campaign
The needs of our ADI children cannot be put on hold.
Public support is more important than ever to guarantee that our residents receive their daily respiratory treatments, their many specialized therapies that are critical to their care and development, and the medications and formulas that are not included in Israel’s health basket. With events, visitors, and fundraising meetings on hold, these vital services are in danger.
Though our ADI residents are being distanced from the public to safeguard their health, it is essential that they never feel alone.
