The Health Ministry tightened coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday to slow the spread of coronavirus variants following a recent surge detected in Israel and caused, at least in part, by infections brought back from abroad.
Ministry director-general Prof. Hezi Levi said that the Israeli population was not fully protected as herd immunity has not yet kicked in and that the uptick was a cause for concern.
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Students at a Binyamina school test for the coronavirus on Sunday
(Photo: Elad Gershgorn)
"We must prevent travel to destinations where the virus is rampant and revamp our quarantine policies," Levi said in an interview with Kan Public Radio.
Travelers leaving the country would be required to sign a declaration stating that they would not enter countries designated as virus hotspots, including Russia, India, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
The form will also list the penalties for giving a false statement, including a fine of NIS 5,000 for breach of quarantine.
"The recent spike in COVID-19 cases that could cause community spread requires the Health Ministry to take steps to prevent further contagion," the ministry said, adding that it was concerned over renewed morbidity among the elderly population.
The ministry decided to authorize senior health officials to impose quarantine on vaccinated Israelis or those who had recovered from the disease if they had been in high-risk countries.
Quarantine could also be imposed on people who had come in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient carrying the Delta variant or other highly transmissible virus strains, or if they come into contact with high-risk populations in their line of work.
Parents of children found violating coronavirus quarantine would be subjected to fines, the ministry said.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday that the government was treating the surge in COVID-19 infections across the country as a new outbreak.
In a televised address to the nation from Ben Gurion Airport, Bennett said that the government was taking steps to quash the outbreak — attributed to the Delta variant originally discovered in India — at its early stages, detailing the measures his government would implement, including reinstating the so-called coronavirus cabinet.
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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at the Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday
(Photo: Shaul Golan)
He called on Israelis to act with caution since the Delta variant may also infect those who have been fully vaccinated against the virus.
The premier announced that the indoor mask mandate at Ben Gurion Airport will be put back in place and that all arrivals from abroad will be tested for the pathogen. The Defense Ministry said earlier Tuesday that it would set up a testing complex at the airport, which is Israel's main gateway.
In addition, Bennett advised Israelis to avoid traveling abroad, adding that government may change its instructions on the issue may in the near future.
He also called on parents to vaccinate their children against the pathogen following a spate of outbreaks at schools and recommended Israelis should go back to wearing face masks in closed spaces.