I am in Israel caring for my father who until a few weeks ago was in good health and totally independent. His decline has been rapid caused by a recently diagnosed cancer. As his only child I am here until such time as I can get a good live-in carer settled, I understand the likely treatment and probably stay for the first round.
The virus may mean I cannot get home when I am ready to leave because flights have stopped by then.
The Israeli method for dealing with the virus has been stricter/quicker than the UK and approaching the Taiwanese/Singaporeans. Whilst there are increasing numbers of positive tests (partially due to increasing numbers being tested) there has only been one death, which from a population of 8 Million is pretty good.
The restrictions on personal freedom have gradually been ratched up, with all restaurants/cafes/shopping malls closed from last Saturday evening, and a request not to leave the house without good reason from Thursday. Tonight apparently, they are considering a stricter lockdown and prescriptions of anyone over 65 will be delivered FOC rather than collecting them.
They are using technology to identify if people in quarantine are breaking it (mobile phone data) and the public are encouraged to grass up those that do. The worst offenders in terms of not keeping social distancing properly are the ultra-Orthodox and Arabs who for different reasons choose to ignore government announcements. Fortunately sense is now being used when the news from Italy seeps through.
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