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Contact: Renee Young
Hadassah National Public Relations
ryoung@hadassah.org
212.303.8140

March 6, 2020 – NEW YORK, NY -Hadassah’s podcast, Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine features an exclusive interview with Dr. Ran Nir-Paz, 54, a highly respected infectious disease expert at Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) in Jerusalem. The podcast features the first interview with Dr. Nir-Paz, currently under quarantine in Israel following his return from Japan after treating Israeli patients who had contracted the coronavirus known as COVID-19 aboard a Diamond Princess cruise ship. The podcast episode launched on March 5 and is available here.

In the podcast, Dr. Nir-Paz offers insights about the outbreak including whether he thinks it will get worse before it gets better. He also addresses whether certain demographics like the elderly or pregnant women more susceptible to the disease. Additionally, he explains how HMO’s two world-class hospitals in Jerusalem are responding to the crisis and what practical actions or precautions residents in the U.S. and around the world can take in their own daily life to help them stay healthy.  

Dr. Nir-Paz reflects on how this epidemic compares to outbreaks of the past – like SARS and Swine Flu. “As an infectious disease physician, you’re being taught that you will see something once a decade which is big. So, obviously, this is the once-in-a-decade thing. The question is if this is the once in a decade or once in a century?” When asked what makes this mutation particularly pernicious, Dr. Nir-Paz explains that it can be so mild at times that people may not even realize they have the virus. “Such people are being called the ‘super spreaders.' When they feel very healthy and interact with a lot of people, they can spread the virus,” he notes.

Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow commends Dr. Nir-Paz for his steadfastness and resolve to ensure that Israeli coronavirus patients receive the most advanced care and treatment available.  “Dr. Nir-Paz relates his first-hand account of dealing with a virus that now has  global implications. HMO has a venerable history of dealing with medical crises worldwide and we are grateful to Dr. Nir-Paz for representing HMO in the earlier stages of this medical epidemic.”      

Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine is hosted by Benyamin Cohen, editorial director of From the Grapevine and has written for the Washington Post, the Daily Beast, the Huffington Post, Yahoo News and Slate.

Further Information:
Read about Dr. Nir-s Paz’s trip to Japan at Hadassah
Read about Dr. Nir-Paz’s trip to Japan on From The Grapevine
Video: Dr. Nir-Paz thanks his medical colleagues at a Japanese hospital

“Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine” podcast is a production of Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America. Hadassah enhances the health of people around the world through medical education, care and research innovations at the Hadassah Medical Organization. For more information on the latest medical advances at HMO visit my.hadassah.org/newsroom. Sign up for new episode alerts at hadassah.org/hadassahoncall and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 300,000 members, associates and supporters Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as women’s health equity and the security of Israel.  Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit my.hadassah.org.