Israel announced on Tuesday that travelers from abroad arriving in Israel will be required to test negative for COVID-19 to avoid quarantine even if they have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus.

Travelers will be required to present a negative virus test from within the previous 72 hours prior to boarding a flight to Israel and test negative again upon arriving in Israel in order to avoid the need to quarantine, a statement from the Health Ministry, the Transportation Ministry, and the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The decision is apparently due to the fear that even those who are fully vaccinated can still contract the coronavirus and spread it to others, a fear compounded by the new virus variants.

Fear of the new virus variants has led to the almost hermetic closure of Ben-Gurion Airport since January 25. The government voted to extend the closure until at least February 20 late last week.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)