ONE GOOD THING
Israelis looking out for overworked health care professionals
RAANANA, Israel — While hunkering down at home and keeping three young children entertained in coronavirus isolation, Adi Karmon Scope had a thought: How much harder was it for those on the front lines of the pandemic?
So Karmon Scope, a 44-yearold startup entrepreneur took to Facebook to ask Israelis to assist both the health care professionals who are saving lives while braving exposure in long hours at hospitals, and the families they have left behind.
The result has been staggering. In less than three weeks, more than 10,000 have signed up to “Adopt A Doc.” Besides providing for needed protective gear and other medical supplies, an army of volunteers has carried out grocery shopping, delivered home-cooked meals, babysat for children and even walked the pets of health care providers.
In Israel, more than 10,000 people have contracted the coronavirus and 92 have died. The government has imposed severe restrictions on movement to try to quell the rapid spread, including a near-closure on especially vulnerable neighborhoods.
With the Israeli workforce largely homebound due to stringent regulations, and the economy slowed to a near standstill, Karmon Scope has enjoyed the robust engagement of tech-savvy Israelis with time on their hands. They’ve built a website that pairs volunteers with nearby doctors, nurses and other overworked medical personnel. Nearly 1,000 now have a designated volunteer who cares for their personal needs, including finding them parking spots in crowded urban centers when they return home from late shifts. Some 3,000 other volunteers offer support in other ways.
The grassroots organization now has a coordinator at every hospital in the country, has secured donations from private catering companies and its lobbying effort with local municipalities has produced various gestures toward the doctors.