With the return of thousands of workers from Israel ... How did the Authority prepare to examine them?

Awad al-Rajoub - Hebron

The Israeli crossings witnessed an active return of Palestinian workers working from their workplaces inside the Green Line, coinciding with the closure of a number of Israeli cities and before the Jewish Passover holiday that runs until April 15.

The Palestinian Authority has intensified its health measures and installed tents at the crossing points to receive workers and conduct tests for them, in an attempt to curb the outbreak of the new Corona virus (Covid-19) through returning workers.

She also asked the returning workers to stone themselves in their homes for 14 days, and set up centers in various governorates to isolate those showing symptoms of HIV infection.

The data of the Palestinian Ministry of Health showed during the press briefing on Tuesday morning, that most of the registered cases in Palestine are Palestinian workers and contacts with them.

Peak days
Since noon hours, the Dhahria crossing in the southern West Bank witnessed a movement of workers, in anticipation of the closure of the crossings at four o'clock in the local time.

The flow of workers was mitigated today, allowing the Israeli authorities to remain in their workplaces during Easter.

According to contractors that Al-Jazeera Net correspondent spoke to them, the new instructions allow the remaining workers to work tomorrow until noon, with work suspended on Thursday and a normal return to work on Friday, contrary to what was followed in previous years when it imposed a comprehensive closure on the occupied territories for days Eid.

Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem explained the Israeli decision as a reflection of the desire to continue the wheel of the Israeli economy at the expense of the Palestinian worker.

What contributed to the return of workers today - albeit less than previous expectations - is the announcement of the closure of a number of cities after the wide range of casualties in them, and expectations of more strict measures.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health had drawn up a plan for what it described as peak days (between April 7 and 15), and deployed its crews to the crossings to conduct checks and provide guidance to workers.

According to Palestinian estimates, 45,000 workers are present in Israel, and their return at once is a real challenge, which necessitated the utmost caution.

Local committees in the various Palestinian governorates shall determine the places of isolation of the injured, including hospitals, hotels and health centers.

Some Palestinian municipalities and local committees also took it upon themselves to prepare stone rooms, in anticipation of the large numbers of injured workers coming into contact with their families.

Shaher Rayan, the mayor of Deir Samet, west of Hebron, indicated that a seventy-bed isolation site had been prepared, in cooperation with other municipalities and the local community, expressing his hope that the Ministry of Health would provide a medical staff to supervise it soon.

Stone workers
Ammar Ghannam, 30, who is one of the returning workers for days, says that he was very concerned about his health after it was confirmed that 19 Israelis were infected in the area where he was working in Tel Aviv, and that his anxiety increased that the symptoms of the virus appeared on the driver of the car that transported him with workers. Others to the virtual crossing.

Ghannam adds to Al-Jazeera Net a stone in his house, that he headed, immediately upon his arrival, at Al-Dhahria crossing (south of the West Bank) to the Palestinian health teams on duty there, and asked for a preliminary examination of him, so he did not reveal any symptoms.

Now he has taken instructions and safety measures to stone himself inside his house, after he asked his wife and child to leave for another house, and he is keen to sterilize everything he uses and uses plastic tools to easily destroy it.

As for Ghaleb Al-Rajoub, 21, who returned ten days before his work inside the Green Line, he says that he mixed with other workers, local residents in the city of Rahat and shop owners, and upon his arrival he took quarantine instructions and adhered to his house despite the absence of any symptoms of injury.

As for Musa Awaisa (25 years), from the town of Dhahria, he was more worried because he worked in a car maintenance store and mixed with many, and upon his return last Thursday he requested an examination, and despite the absence of symptoms, he decided to isolate himself in his home in the interest of the safety of his mother, wife and two children.

Sufficient potential
According to a previous statement by the Minister of Health, Maykla, the Authority has the capabilities it needs to confront Corona, but indicated that it is awaiting aid coming from several countries and organizations, including the World Health Organization.

Kaileh also announced the availability of approximately 120 artificial respirators, and a plan to purchase a similar number in anticipation of an increase in cases of infection.

Today, Kila announced the receipt of survey equipment brought by the intelligence agency, estimated at about ten thousand swabs, in addition to another ten thousand arrived a few days ago.

The examination capabilities increased from 390 people daily to 1500 people currently, according to an official announcement, and tents were set up at the entrances to hospitals to perform initial checks of the auditors, before entering the hospitals and their contact with the medical teams.

In Palestine, one death and 261 cases of corona virus were recorded in Palestine, according to the latest data of the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

According to the data of 2018, there are 82 hospitals in the Palestinian Authority, with a capacity of 6,440 beds, at 1.33 beds per 1,000 citizens.