In light of the highly contagious British variant which is rapidly spreading around Israel, Israeli health officials are considering requiring quarantine for those who spent only five or ten minutes with a confirmed virus carrier rather than the current 15 minutes, Army Radio reported on Tuesday morning.

Some health officials say that the British virus variant is responsible for about 2,000 virus cases in Israel each day.

According to a report by Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer, the British virus variant can spread from one person to another after five minutes of contact.

The hospital has already made an independent decision to require any medical staffers who spent five minutes with a confirmed carrier to enter isolation.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)