IMPORTANT UPDATE: In light of a public outcry over the short notice, officials have delayed implementation of the new High Risk countries until Wednesday, August 11.
Israel on Tuesday added 18 additional countries, including the US, to the list of countries under a severe travel warning, which means that travelers from those locations will have to enter quarantine even if vaccinated or recovered.
The quarantine period is 14 days but can be shortened to seven days with two negative PCR tests.
The restrictions will go into effect on Wednesday, August 11. The regulations only apply to those who spend more than 12 hours in the country so those passing through the “orange” countries for a connection flight will not have to quarantine.
The new ruling means that American students arriving next week for the new school year will be required to observe quarantine upon arrival.
This also means that travelers from the USA will not be able to visit Israel for less than seven days, as they will not be permitted to leave the country while in mandatory quarantine. Serological tests are not accepted as grounds for quarantine exemption for travelers coming from High Risk countries.
The countries on the list are: Ukraine, the United States, Italy, Iceland, Eswatini, Botswana, Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Greece, Malawi, Egypt, the Czech Republic, France, Cuba, Rwanda and Tunisia.
The countries that have already been placed under a severe travel warning include: Cambodia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Fiji, Georgia, Great Britain, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Seychelles, Turkey, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
However, Seychelles, Zambia, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Uganda, Liberia, Panama and Kenya are set to be removed from the list.
A complete travel ban has been placed on “red” countries, including Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Cyprus, Georgia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and Uzbekistan.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
This is baffling:- Israel 🇮🇱 is requiring quarantine by Americans 🇺🇸 but not by Canadians, whereas Britain is requiring quarantine by Canadians but not by Americans.
Such a contradiction is too profound to comprehend?
Write up lists Great Britain 🇬🇧 as high risk country, but UK as red country with complete travel ban.
Could someone explain this mystifying mystery? Is there perhaps some נפקא מינה pertaining Northern Ireland? which is part of UK BUT isn’t part of Great Britain.
Great Britain is on the severe warning list but the UK has a complete travel ban? That makes no sense.