A report by the IDF’s Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center on Monday stated that the thousands of Israeli travelers returning to Israel in recent days for the upcoming election are likely to bring various mutated coronavirus variants into the country.

Health officials fear that new virus variants brought into Israel by returning travelers will endanger the success of Israel’s vaccination campaign.

Health experts say that those who have recovered from the coronavirus are at risk since research has shown that they are vulnerable to contracting virus variants. Those who haven’t been vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus are of course, at risk as well.

The report recommends that returning Israeli travelers “stringently adhere to quarantine regulations and social distancing, even from family members at home, in order to minimize this risk.”

However, the recommendation may be wishful thinking as according to a Channel 12 News report on Sunday, 80% of Israelis arriving back into the country violate quarantine, with only 1 out of 5 passengers adhering to regulations.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)