Dr. Tatyana Michaelov and nurse Mr. Alex Babat, who headed the Infectious Diseases A Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, on the day of the department’s closure |
The decision to close the coronavirus department at the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center was taken by the management after many consultations, after the number of patients in the only coronavirus department which remained fully operational – out of three at the height of the pandemic – had steadily dropped in recent weeks. This department was the first to open during the “first wave” of coronavirus (COVID-19) – Infectious Diseases A. Over the last few days, an average of only five to seven patients have been hospitalized there.
It should be noted that the hospital continues to be prepared to accept new patients with, or suspected of having, coronavirus, with designated isolation rooms in the Internal Medicine-Coronavirus Department, in a separate area as required. D
irector of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center Dr. Mickey Dudkiewicz: “I am delighted that we have reached the stage of closing the last coronavirus department which remained active in the hospital, in light of the drop in the number of coronavirus cases. As a result, we will help and reinforce our Internal Medicine departments, which are under great strain, and which were those which suffered the greatest lack of manpower which was “taken away” to treat the pandemic in the coronavirus departments. If necessary, we are, of course, ready to reopen the department – we already have the infrastructure, knowledge, experience, and staff. I greatly hope that this will not be necessary, and the respite which we now feel will continue. Our staff has been through a difficult period, with many complex challenges as a result of the pandemic, and we have overcome them. I would like to thank all those involved.”