Israel will decorate medical teams who were part of the country’s battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, similar to campaign ribbons that troops receive after a war.
The specially designed pin will be awarded to some 200,000 Health Management System workers, doctors and nurses in hospitals and evacuation and rescue teams.
The round button will feature two hands extended to each other that signify assistance, but without direct contact between the palms, as a symbol of the social distancing required in dealing with the virus, with the wording “one who saves a single life is considered to have saved an entire world.”
Edo Hadari, the spokesperson for at Maccabi Health Services, initiated the award.
“A campaign citation distributed to the teams will highlight the respect and appreciation the Israeli public has for their dedication, compassion and uncompromising professionalism,” stated Minister of Health Yaacov Litzman.
Details on eligibility have yet to be finalized.
The Prime Minister’s Office welcomed the initiative and it will be presented to the Committee on Ceremonies and Symbols, headed by Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev.