Ministry of Health labels all countries ‘red’

All countries are to be marked as red destinations to counter the recent spike in coronavirus morbidity rates, the Ministry of Health confirmed Saturday afternoon. The meaning of the new directive is that Israelis returning from abroad must undergo quarantine for 14 days. On the other hand, they may choose to experiment when they return to Israel, and again, nine days later. If both tests are negative, quarantine is shortened to 10 days. Israel currently visiting previously declared green countries, including the United Arab Emirates, the Seychelles and Rwanda, will be given an extra week, until December 26, to return to Israel without the requirement of solitude. For nearly two weeks, Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health, has been pushing for such a move. It has been said that in countries like the UAE, where Israelis are drowning in the tens of thousands, guidelines are not being followed and they are getting infected there and taking the plunge. virus back to Israel. Last week, the Jerusalem Post reported that dozens of Israelis were alone in Dubai after being tested abroad. Hundreds are also in quarantine in Israel after learning they had returned on a flight with confirmed patients. “Ben-Gurion Airport, the gateway to a world, has become a gap,” wrote Dr. Eran Segal, a computer biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, in an opinion piece published by N12. He said passengers need to be tested, and a separate step taken, saying “social speed restrictions must be enforced at Ben-Gurion Airport itself.” The coronavirus cabinet is expected to meet Sunday to discuss additional restrictions in other parts of the country.

The Ministry of Health had been considering forcing travelers from certain countries to agree to be tested, or quarantined in a state-run coronavirus hotel. With each country marked red, it is unlikely that additional restrictions will be added.

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