Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., September 08, 2009 Elul 19, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:08 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Fear of swine flu sends Israelis scrambling for hand sanitizer
By Haaretz Correspondents and Staff , By Yair Ettinger and Adi Dovrat-Meseritz
Tags: H1N1, swine flu 

As the summer ends, Israelis are preparing for more than the usual back-to-school and Jewish holiday periods. This year they are also getting ready for swine flu.

While Israelis have not been asked to change their hugging and kissing habits - yet - as elsewhere in the world, nonetheless the first signs of hysteria over the H1N1 virus are appearing.

Sales of cleaning and sanitation products have leaped by thousands of percent. Representatives of the SuperPharm pharmacy chain say they have not seen anything like this since the Second Gulf War - hand sanitizing gel sales are up 4,000 percent since the school year started last week.
Advertisement
In the last two days, the chain sold 50,000 units of the gel. Suppliers can't keep up with the demand, and have been forced to supplement local products with Asian imports.

But the Health Ministry has yet to publish recommendations calling on the public to stock up on sanitary products or face masks, and says the usual measures are enough: wash your hands, and cover your mouth with a handkerchief when sneezing or coughing. Most importantly, don't touch body parts where flu viruses concentrate and have the best chance of infection: the mouth, nose and eyes.

Overdoing it, and violating ministry rules

"One third of the meeting before the opening of the school year was devoted to swine flu," said the mother of a Tel Aviv first-grader. She said the children were asked to come to class with wet wipes and hand cleansing gel. Any child who misses a day of school must return with a doctor's note, saying he or she is not infectious.

However, the Education Ministry has not instructed students to bring sanitation materials to school. "One of the ways to avoid flu infection is being hygienic, washing hands with soap and water only," the ministry says. It "objects to requiring parents to equip their children with chemical preparations."

As with most ad campaigns in Israel, the Health Ministry's campaign against swine flu has its ultra-Orthodox version. It is similar to the one for the general public, but the cartoon characters washing their hands are all wearing skullcaps.

The ultra-Orthodox community is no less worried about what it calls Mexican flu - to avoid mentioning the name of unkosher animals - than the public at large. However, despite the large number of infections in yeshivas, there are no plans to cut back on mass learning, public prayers or holiday meals.

Creative solutions have appeared to avoid infection and increase public awareness. For example, ritual baths now have signs calling on the public to avoid infection. Even the Gerer Hassidim have given up their generations-old custom of sharing the rabbi's Shabbat wine, and now each Hasid gets his own disposable cup.

Related articles:
  • Israeli man's death could bring swine flu toll to 18
  • Hospitals to beef up staff ahead of likely swine flu pandemic
  • Are you a Jewish doctor? Then Israel wants you
  • HMO ordered to compensate patient after refusing to fund treatments
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Settlers will be settlers
    Even if U.S. and Israel reach a deal on West Bank, outpost residents will continue to build.
    A new Israeli left
    This Jewish New Year may signal the beginning of a new alignment of pro-peace forces.
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Date Local Jewish Singles
    Ready to meet your match? Join Jdate today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Holidays are here
    Minerals Aromatics Body Lotion for free! Click here.
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Marina Royale
    Your Luxurious Suite While staying in Israel
    Amazing Jewelry
    Visit SoKoBe.com for the best priced fine jewelry in the world
    More Headlines
    22:16 Palestinians: Israel vow to halt settlements is void
    23:56 Infrastructure Minister Landau: Arabs are the occupiers
    22:02 Hezbollah rejects offer to take one-third of Lebanon cabinet
    17:17 For Israel, a New Year, and a new left
    23:54 Prosecution accuses Katsav of using 'fear' tactics on victims
    16:08 UN watchdog denies hiding info on Iran nuclear program
    23:06 TV ROUND-UP: Katsav trial, post-Gaza war baby boom, a new settlement
    15:04 Reputed mobster convicted of conspiracy and weapons charges
    13:32 U.S. sources: Many Arab states 'pledging' normal Israel ties
    16:13 IDF colonel to settlers: Stop calling soldiers 'Nazis' at checkpoints
    23:37 Store manager stabbed to death by former employee in Ramat Gan
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved