Even when you and I are going through difficult times, we can have hope. Because of God’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassion for us never fails. He is faithful. This is a great promise we can hold on to no matter our circumstances.
This week there is some good news on the coronavirus front in Israel – the government just approved a new plan to help financially support Israelis who have been hit the hardest. The leaders are learning from past mistakes as they make decisions regarding this second wave of the pandemic. Another piece of good news that I want to highlight – a health technology group has developed a test that will give results in as little as 30 minutes. Here are more details about these developments.
ISRAELI GOVERNMENT APPROVES CORONAVIRUS FINANCIAL RESCUE PLAN
Late last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz presented a financial rescue plan. Netanyahu conceded that the government reopened some parts of Israel’s economy too quickly which lead to a resurgence in coronavirus cases nationwide.
The financial rescue plan was approved on Monday.
The plan includes expanding the number of people eligible for unemployment benefits, assistance to self-employed workers and businesses, adaptation grants (grants to help those who don’t qualify for unemployment) for people who are 67 and over, and a number of tax breaks.
To guarantee economic certainty for the coming year, the plan includes a social safety net for waged and self-employed workers and a financial safety net for businesses until June 2021.
The government would also provide training for individuals making a career change to “coronavirus-era professions.”
Netanyahu also said that additional financial and health plans will be devised in the coming weeks and that Israel’s powerful economy allowed the country to take loans with low-interest rates, according to Ynetnews.
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NEW CORONAVIRUS TEST DEVELOPED IN ISRAEL GIVES RESULTS IN 30 MINUTES
AID Genomics, an Israeli company, has developed a 30-minute coronavirus test kit. They are predicting it will become a globally available screening solution.
Izhak Haviv, chief scientist of AID Genomics, has big hopes for his innovation – including helping the world return to more normal routines, such as attending concerts and sporting events by enabling screening to be carried out as people arrive.
Haviv said his company changed the enzymes and other components normally used in test kits to enable small batches of “VIP” tests to be processed in 30 minutes and bigger batches in around an hour.
“To process a planeload of passengers would take me 75 minutes, and I can push it down to an hour,” Haviv said, adding that he expects the kits to be manufactured and used internationally with similar levels of accuracy and false positives as existing kits.
This new testing kit has been sent for approval to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulators.
“I hope as a result of this technology, activities involving many participants will be open and not need to close, and right now this is unrealistic,” he told The Times of Israel.
LET US PRAY TOGETHER
Join me in thanking God for His great love for us, for His compassion and faithfulness. Please pray with me for:
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The government of Israel to faithfully carry out the new coronavirus financial recovery plan so those in need will be helped
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The infection and death rates from coronavirus to decline in Israel and around the world, especially as this second wave is hitting
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The approval and advancement of new technologies, like the 30-minute test kit, to help fight the pandemic
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Significant progress in developing a vaccine against coronavirus
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Jewish people to seek their Messiah Jesus and discover His great love, compassion and faithfulness
