GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gaza residents have had to live with the isolation imposed on them by Israel's sea and land blockade for some 12 years now. Given this, they have been quick to adapt to the even more restricting circumstances stemming from the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The new virus has affected every part of the world, including areas without infections. In some countries, tens of thousands have died from COVID-19. The Hamas-controlled government in Gaza began taking measures to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus on March 15, among them a compulsory quarantine for everyone returning from abroad, housing them in public school buildings and private hotels. The Ministry of Health tests those in isolation after 19 days of confinement, unless someone presents with symptoms before that.
