Israel will launch a pilot program to monitor returning travelers with electronic bracelets during home quarantine as an alternative to mandatory quarantine in state-run hotels.

About 100 travelers will wear the bracelets (on their wrists or ankles), which will monitor their location for their two-week quarantine period upon arrival in Israel via Bluetooth and GPS technology.

If the pilot program is successful, Israeli travelers who test negative for the coronavirus at Ben Gurion Airport will have the option of wearing the bracelet instead of quarantining in a hotel.

According to B’Chadrei Chareidim, there will be an alternative to the bracelet for those who want to isolate at home but don’t want to wear the bracelet on Shabbos – a type of tracking through voice recognition that can be used on Shabbos.

On Wednesday, the coronavirus cabinet approved the reinstatement of mandatory quarantine in state-run hotels for returning travelers as a temporary measure until an alternative solution could be found.

Israel is determined to thwart the entry and spread of new coronavirus variants into the country and the electronic bracelet is the latest measure in its efforts.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)