Foreign Travelers Coming to Israel Must Quarantine Seven Days in Hotel, if Vaccinated Abroad

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel is implementing a new quarantine policy which will have a huge impact on incoming travelers, regardless of vaccination status.

Rabbi Nechemia Malinowitz, Director of Igud Yeshivos and Seminaries for Bnei Chutz Laaretz , and Director of Eretz Hakodesh, said Wednesday that he was informed by officials about the policy change. Under the new rules, any non-Israeli citizen, even if they are fully vaccinated and have an entry permit or student visa, will be sent to a hotel to quarantine for a full seven days, assuming they were vaccinated outside of Israel.

Those who were vaccinated in Israel will be allowed to quarantine at home.

This past week Israel has considered ramping up rules and restrictions, as it braces for another coronavirus wave.

On Tuesday, an advisory panel of health experts recommended a fourth booster shot for Israelis over 60 and health care workers .

Dr. Boaz Lev, who heads the advisory panel, said “This variant is like a tsunami.”

Under current rules, anybody who comes in contact with someone who has Omicron must quarantine, regardless of vaccination status, which could be highly disruptive if the variant spreads. (It’s not clear if this policy will change.)

Israel has been on the cutting edge in terms of Covid vaccinations. This past summer it was the first country to hold a nationwide booster campaign.