Centralized Management of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Long-Term Care Facilities in Israel

Abstract

Covid-19 was first diagnosed in Israel in late February 2020. During the first month following the outbreak, it became clear that the most severe outcomes were occurring in the Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCFs) and that the fragmented supervision of these facilities was a key weakness in the fight against the pandemic. It was therefore decided to establish the Fathers and Mothers Shield taskforce, which included representatives from all of the relevant government ministries and which would facilitate communication and consultation with the representatives of the LTCFs and with the relevant public sector organizations. We analyse three main policy measures implemented by the taskforce in the effort to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in the LTCFs: an increase in SARS-CoV-2 testing of LTCF residents and employees; the opening of specialized Corona wards in geriatric hospitals and LTCFs; and the regulation of family visits. The introduction of centralized management of the pandemic in the LTCFs achieved a number of important outcomes and is considered to have been highly successful. The share of the LTCFs within total Covid-19 mortality dropped from 45% to 36%, and the load on general hospitals became more manageable. With the arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, the taskforce viewed priority vaccination of the LTCF population as its main goal in early 2021.